A Conquering Love
by Serdd
Summary: What if Buffy had known Spike along time before Sunnydale? What if the PTB got invalved? What if they didn't fight it?
1. Chapter 1

A Conquering Love

Prologue

It was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen, the movement of her hair as it sailed through the air, the grace of her landing when coming out of a roundhouse kick, and merely the fluidity of her movements, had him mesmerized. Then it hit him - His Destiny. "Thanks Dru" he said quietly so that neither the Slayer nor the seven vamps she was fighting could hear him, as he just sat and watched her finish her dance of death.

_Three weeks earlier_

Dru was in one of her moods again, as soon as the sun had set, she had started to whine to him about some gibberish the stars had told her.

"But my Spike, Miss Edith says that this must be, she howls, my Spike, she screams, the sun, ooohhhhh!" she moaned tugging at her hair

"The sun! It burns! It burns!" she was screaming now, at the top of her lungs, she was screaming, clawing at her face, when suddenly, she became completely still, standing as immobile and strait as a statue,

"But not you, the sun does not burn you." And she cocked her head to the side, as though to see him better.

"You will go, my Spike, the stars say that you will leave. And the sun shall shine upon you, you will bathe and glisten in its glory, never to burn, even when your elders crumble." Again she started to whine, tears welling up in her eyes.

"You will become a guardian of light" she spat at him

"You will leave all that is unholy, and you will make love to heaven." Through out all of this Spike had stayed silent, she had never spoken to him like this, out of all time serving Drusilla, she had never been this calm, cool, and collected, in short, Spike was a little freaked. He tried to make sense of what she was saying.

"What do you mean 'I will become a guardian of light'?" As soon as Spike said the words, Dru attacked, swiping at him with her razor sharp nails, trying to dig out his eyes. But once again, she stopped abruptly, and turned her head as though listening to something. She then turned her head to stair him right in the eye.

"You must leave now" she said as though in a trance.

"You will go to L.A., you will find your destiny there." She said cryptically, before turning, and walking away from him.

_Present time_

She was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen, with her long blond hair, that would dance in the moon light, hazel green eyes, that would come alight with fire when she was angry, and her body, perfect, that was the best way to describe it, absolutely perfect. Dru had been right; he had found his destiny, his mate, even if she didn't know it yet.

Chapter One

There was something seriously wrong with her.

Every night for the past week she had had the feeling of someone following her, that wasn't the weird part; she always had someone following her.

No, what was weird was that it never showed its self, if it were a demon it would have come at her by now, if it were a vamp it would have at least made some lame attempt to lure her away or trap her, and it definitely wasn't human, her senses told her that much.

As she was walking through her last cemetery of the night, thinking of who or what it could be, she could feel a pair of eyes on her.

She stopped walking but kept her head down, so that it looked like she had just stopped to think, when really, she was honing her senses to focus in on the figure that had been following her all week.

Spike had seen her stop as she got closer to the tree that he was sitting in, he was usually more careful than this, never letting her fully sense him, but this time he wasn't playing on the safe side, he wanted to watch her for more than an hour at a time, consequences be dammed.

She had him, forth branch up in the big oak to her left.

Spike saw her stiffen for a moment before her head shot up, and she looked directly at him,

"Oh shit" he said eyes widening when he realized that he'd been discovered.

"Ya, oh shit." she said, squaring her shoulders and putting her hands on her hips, knowing that he could hear her.

"Well?" she said expectantly.

"Oh, right." he smiled sheepishly from his perch, before jumping and landing ten feet in front of her. She could tell through his tight black jeans, and black muscle shirt, that he was well muscled. He was also wearing a loose red button up dress shirt over it, toped off with a full-length black leather jacket.

'Oh, look at those eyes, like they can see right through you, oh, and those cheek bones, I wonder what it would feel like to run my fingers through his hair.'

"Hay luv" he said, looking down at the ground in a shy manner.

'Oh my God, that accent, he has an accent, yep definitely the hottest guy I have ever met' Buffy took a deep breath to try and calm her nerves.

"Ok, um, hi um, first off, who are you and why have you been following me?" she asked proud that she hadn't made a complete fool of her self.

"Oh right, uh, the names Spike" he said fidgeting with something in his pocket, 'way to go you bloody wanker, can you sound like an even bigger pounce?' Buffy could see him fidgeting and noticed that she was doing the same; she heaved a great sigh before walking past him, gently brushing his shoulder as she did.

Spike automatically turned and fell in to step beside her, as she walked through the cemetery.

"So? What's your story Spike?" she asked casually as they walked. Spike just shrugged, "What do you want to know luv?"

"Well, why don't you start by telling me why you were following me?" she answered cheekily, sending him a lopsided grin.

Spike chuckled

"Well pet, before I came here, I was down in Europe. My sire had a vision; she gets them sometimes, but there never very clear. She kept goin' on an' on, about how, I had to find my destiny, that it was here in L.A., become the guardian of light, what ever the hell that means, so anyway, poof, here I am, but, I have no clue what I'm doing here, or what I'm lookin' for, an so I just start walken', I walked for three bloody hours! Strait! Can you believe that? Should have stolen a bloody car, now that I think of it, bloody nit-wit I am." Buffy gave him a lop-sided grin for his comment, which, helped loosen him up.

"Anyway I go walken' past one of the local cemeteries, you know, the one over on Harwood street?" she nodded, this had to be the weirdest conversation that she had ever had, here she was, the Slayer, walking through the graveyard, with a Master Vampire by the sounds of it, chatting like old friends, but the weirdest part was that she felt completely calm and, get this, safe, with this vampire, there was just something different about him…

"Anyway, that's when I saw you, you were just incredible luv, the way you fight,'s like poetry, just absolutely beautiful, one of the best fighters 've ever seen. I'd love to fight you one of these days, be nice to finally have a challenge, it been a wile."

He drifted off as thought remembering that last true battle. Not noticing Buffy blushing at his compliment.

"Really? You think you could take me?" she asked sassily, knowing that Spike would rise to the challenge.

"Any time lil' miss, you may even learn a thing or two" he said goading her on, he tried to stop the smile that was spreading over his face, but lost miserably when the grin spread from ear to ear.

"Oh, your mister funny guy now? Well, come on then, let's see if you're half as good as you think you are."

He wasn't half as good. He was better. He hadn't been lying when he said that it would be a challenge, he was strong where she was weak, and vice versa, for every punch he threw, she would kick him right back, they were perfectly matched in every way, even when it came down to the verbal sparing, trying to egg the other on so that they would make a mistake. But nether did, it was fast, yet smooth and graceful, as though rehearsed a thousand times before.

They didn't fight as though merely vampire and slayer, they fought as equals, each one matching the other in strength and skill.

Buffy finally ended the fight when she leaped onto his shoulders, pushing him to the ground, and straddling his waist.

"I win!" she said in a slightly teasing tone.

"Oh really; and how do you figure that pet?" he asked, a smug grin on his face, Buffy thought that he was smiling because he didn't believe her, when really; he was just enjoying their current position.

"Because, if I were holding a stake right now, you'd be dust." she said triumphantly.

Spike moaned, let his head fall back, and then stopped moving altogether. Buffy found it slightly unnerving when he stopped breathing. He looked truly dead.

"Spike?" she said, shoving him a little.

"Spike…" she bent down to whisper in his ear.

She knew that she was giving him free accesses to her throat, but as she bent closer to his ear, she was also pressing certain parts of her body more firmly against him.

"Spike…what are you doing?" she whispered sensuously against his neck.

Spike couldn't help the shudder that ran thru his body, at the feel of her breath against his skin.

He didn't have to raise his head to whisper in her ear, as well.

"You won, remember, you staked me." as he said the last part, he put his hand on her ass and ground his erection into her pelvis more firmly, creating a sweet friction.

"But I wonder…who will get staked in the end?" Buffy gasped at the feel of him, this was so weird, so different from anything she had ever experienced before; she had never felt like this. Never.

Sure, she had gone out with boys before, but there always seemed to be something missing, they never made her feel like this. Spike groaned in disappointment, when she lifted herself off of him a little, but then moaned in pleasure when she started to grind her hips down on him a little harder.

Feeling a sudden wave of confidence she leaned down to his ear again and sucked his earlobe into her hot mouth, feeling him shudder underneath her, she smiled before saying ever so quietly…

"Probably me; but, only if your man enough."

Spike gave a fierce growl before he flipped her onto her back.

"Was that a challenge little girl?" he asked dangerously, his eyes flashing.

Buffy smiled up at him with a slightly glazed look in her eye, and Spike felt his heart melt for the girl under him.

"It can be what ever you want it to be, Spikey." she said with an even wider smile.

Spike roared again and started to lunge for her, as thought he was going to bite, but just inches away from her face he stopped.

"I accept your challenge Slayer, we'll see who's man enough!" and with that, he covered the last few inches too her lips.

"Oh, and don't call me Spikey." He finished right before taking the plunge again.

It was exploding fireworks, birds singing, candy, rainbows and sunshine, for Buffy. This wasn't supposed to happen; they were supposed to be enemies, not lovers. They were supposed to kill each other, not kiss each other. Buffy couldn't quite wrap her head around what was happening to her; she was flying, floating, and completely on fire. She never wanted this to end; she had never dreamed that such a level of passion could be elected by just one kiss.

Spike was lost, drowning, and completely on fire. In all his one hundred and twenty-two years of living he had never felt anything like this, nothing like this. 'That's because this is your MATE! You wanker, this time, for the first time, your with the one you're supposed to be with!' his demon yelled at him.

"Spike?" Buffy asked breathlessly When they finally came up for air.

"Ya, luv?" Spike was panting too, even thou there was no need, to him; it still felt like he was at a loss for air.

"You're a vampire, right?" Spike turned his head to look at her like she had two heads.

"Are you feelin' alright, slayer?"

"Ya, just wondering…if you're a vampire…and, I'm the Slayer, then…what are we doing?" she asked looking nervous, as though bringing up those facts would make him get up and run.

Spike got up off the ground and gave her a hand up, "We, luv, are going on a date."

This time it was Buffy's turn to look at him like he had two heads.

Seeing the look she was giving him, he had to laugh again, Buffy smiled at the sound of his laughter.

As they started walking back to the entrance of the cemetery, he started to speak again. "I've figured out what my sire saw in that vision of her's. And so, sweet-cheeks, we are going on a date, you and I, tomorrow night, right after sunset, I'll pick you up at your place, and we'll head out from there, how's that sound?"

"Sounds great, just…ok, one: how do you know were my house is, Two: Where are we going? And three: what was your sire's vision of?"

Spike looked at her, amazed that she had gotten all that out in one breath, again he chuckled at her. "Ok pet, one: I'll be walkin' you home so that takes care of its self. Two: It's a surprise, so I can't tell you. I will tell you that a good friend of mine owns the place, and there is NO fighting!" he said, looking at her pointedly.

"Hay, you say that like I always start it, it's not always just me you know, sometimes they deserve it, and hay! I know for a fact that you're just as bad." Spike smirked

"Ya, I am" he said like a guilty little boy who had got cot with his hand in the cookie jar. "So, where was I? Oh ya, and as for the vision, I can't tell you, not yet at least."

Buffy wasn't sure how, but, she felt she knew him, she knew that if she pouted at him she could get anything she wanted, if she kissed him just under the ear, he would moan, and hold her just that must tighter, and she knew that he was just like her in everyway.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

Since being called, Buffy had started to become hard, cold. She had started to push her friends away, ignore teachers, rules, and just school in general.

It had come to the point where, the only person that could actually reach, thru all of her barriers, to her heart, was her watcher. And lately, she had even started to pull away from him.

So you can understand why, when she walked into the school the next morning, with a huge smile on her face, everyone just stopped to stare.

While walking down the hall she would smile at all of the people that cot her eye. She wasn't even this nice when she wasn't seen as a freak.

Thru-out the rest of the day, people would whisper behind her back as she past. Finally near the end of the day, her old best friend, Nancy, approached her.

"He-hey, there, Bu-Buffy" she said nervously.

Ever since seeing Buffy kick the crap out of one of the guys on the Football team for grabbing her ass, everyone had been a little afraid of the small blond.

"Oh, hey there Nancy" Buffy said, not really paying the girl any attention what so ever, Buffy had more important things to worry about. Like what she was going to wear on her date with Spike tonight.

i 'I wonder where he's taking me… a fancy restaurant, maybe? No, he said that I wouldn't be allowed to fight, and I would never fight in a fancy restaurant, well…not unless someone pissed me off severely.' /i She thought the last part with a wicked little smile that made Nancy shiver.

Buffy noticed the movement out of the corner of her eye, and turned to face the nervous brunet. "Oh, sorry Nancy, what did you want?" Buffy asked with a bright smile.

Nancy swallowed loudly before speaking "umm, nu-nothing really, just umm, some of us were wondering what was going on?" Buffy gave her a confused look and Nancy continued, more bravely that before.

"Oh come on Buffy, you've been stalking around the school like a caged lion for months, I mean, I'm pretty sure I even heard you growled once." Buffy put her head down as a small smile graced her lips in remembrance; she remembered a few instances where she may have growled at some of the kids in the school.

When Nancy saw Buffy nod, she continued, "So then what's up? You've been grinning like a fool all day" Buffy lifted her head to look at Nancy; she was blushing, with a small secretive smile on her face.

Nancy saw the look and it was contagious, she couldn't help smiling as well.

"Well..." Buffy said, blushing and hiding her eyes again, "it's nothing really...I just, kind of...met someone..." Nancy looked at her, astonished, and accidentally said the first thing that came to mind, "wow, to make you change that much in one night? He must be a demon in the sack," hearing her own words, Nancy slapped her hands over her mouth, thinking the Buffy may get mad and "hurt her", but Buffy on the other hand, thought that her words were bang on, and couldn't help but giggle.

Nancy looked at her, surprised, realizing that she wasn't mad, Buffy just giggled again at her look. "Oh, you have no idea." Buffy said before sprinting away to catch her ride, leaving a dumfounded Nancy in her wake.

**Later that Night**

Buffy was in her room, trying to find the perfect outfit, Buffy thought of Spike's face for a moment, and knew exactly what to wear, she went over to her closet and pulled out a red silk and satin halter top, it was her favourite shirt, but lately she hadn't had a chance to where it, this was perfect.

Next she went to grab her favourite pair of leather pants; she was going for the "sexy-bad-ass" look, a look that Spike had clearly perfected.

After applying her makeup, she turned to her mirror "mirror, mirror, oh so fair, please, oh please, help me with this hair" Buffy looked at herself and smiled, it was something that she had said many times before, and it never seemed to fail, as soon as she said it, she knew exactly what to do.

Buffy went in to her bath-room to use the curling iron. After curling her hair into soft rolling blond curls, she inspected her appearance.

She thought that she looked pretty damn good, "well, it's all for him anyways, if he can't keep his hands off of me when I open that door, I'll know I've done my job."

She smiled wickedly at the mirror, just as the door bell rang; it was 8:00, on the dot, as Buffy flew down the stairs to meet him.

Her Mother was out, and her father was working late, so she didn't have to worry about anyone answering the door but her.

**In the Car **

Buffy was fairly pleased with herself.

As soon as she had opened the door, Spike had taken one look at her, and could not help himself.

_i__ Buffy barley had enough time to see how delicious Spike looked, in his black slacks, black dress shirt, and of course, his soft black leather duster, before Spike was attacking her lips. __God it was wild, the fire between them, that burn for them, that burned only for the other, it was passion at its purist.__ They were both amazed that Spike was able to pull away. Buffy wasn't even aware that she needed to breath until he released her, and she started gasping for breath__. __i_

Buffy smiled at the memory, and turned to look at Spike with a heated gaze, running her eyes over his lithe form.

Spike saw the look that she was giving him, and could smell her heady arousal. It was already taking all of his will power not to take her, and her scent wasn't helping.

Other than the looks that they sent each other, that seemed to speak volumes, the drive was made in a comfortable silence.

"Well, this is it." Spike said as he helped Buffy out of the car, and they made their way into Caritas.

"Caritas…hum, where have I heard that name before?"

"What's this now?" Spike asked turning to look at her.

"Oh nothing, the name just sounds really familiar, but I can't remember where I heard it." Buffy said, tying to remember.

"Hay there, don't hurt yourself," he said, trying to hide his grin.

Buffy punched him on the arm, hard, and pouted, but she couldn't help the grin that appeared at the corner of her lips, when he started rubbing where she had hit him, "Big baby" she teased lightly.

Suddenly, without warning he grabbed her around the waist, and twisted her around so that her back was pressed against his chest.

Buffy whimpered hen she felt his breathe against her ear, "not 'big baby'" he said huskily, and she couldn't help but notes that affect that their position was having on him, "Big Bad…baby" he whispered before he bent down to trail kisses down along her neck Buffy moaned and tilted her head to the side to give him better access.

Spike grinned against her neck, loving the feel of her soft warm skin beneath his lips.

Buffy suddenly sucked in a shocked breath as Spike firmly bit into her jugular with his blunt human teeth, leaving an angry red bite mark.

It wasn't a clamming bite, even though they both secretly wished it was, but it would be enough to tell other vamps to back off, that this Slayer was his, that this one belonged to William the Bloody.

Although her watcher had never told her anything of vampire lore, tradition, or culture, she knew what Spike was doing, in fact she knew quite a bit, for instance she knew all of the different kinds of bites; from a mating bite that lasted forever, to the one used on their victims, she night not be able to recognize them as easily as a vampire, but she knew what to look for.

She knew enough that, if her watcher ever found out, she was sure that he would be terrified, and worried about her curiosities.

She had even done some field research that couldn't be found in the watcher's diaries, or in any book for that matter.

After gaining some composure after their brief make-out session, Buffy and Spike made their way inside the bar.

"Alright now slayer, you just behave yourself in here, there is a strict "No Fighting" policy. I know the owner of this place and he can get pretty mean when he wants too, no matter who you are." he looked at her pointedly.

When they finally entered Buffy looked around with wide eyes of shock and curiosity.

Spike saw her look, and saw her hand unconsciously reach for the stake hidden in the small of her back.

"Hay now luv, remember the rule, No Fighting." Buffy rolled her eyes, "your no fun" she pouted.

"I know that sucks luv, believe me, I know, but just because you can't hurt them in here, doesn't mean that you can't get them later" he grind down at her, and she smiled back. Together they walked over to the bar where Spike ordered a beer and Buffy just a Coke.

As Buffy looked around at all of the different Demons littering the bar, and Spike spoke to the bartender, Buffy was struck by how similar the scene looked, compared to any number of the club/bars that she used to hang out in.

Mind you, there were some obvious details that could not be overlooked, like; horns, scales, wrinkling and drooping skin, claws, talons, and teeth, not to mention the different colors.

But, other than that they were perfectly normal; there were demons on dates, and others trying to drown their sorrows.

And Buffy just watched, amazed. "Huh, were not so different after all" she mused quietly. "A little shocking, eh luv?" Spike said after hearing her comment.

Buffy turned and smiled at him, "well, it's definitely not what I expected" she said, and Spike just winked at her.

"Well, well, well, looky what the cat dragged in" said a voice from behind them. Spike turned from Buffy to great the new figure.

"Hello mate, long time, no see" Spike said shaking, what Buffy could see, looked like a green hand. 'Wait a minute, that green hand looks familiar somehow'.

"Same to you baby cakes, haven't seen you in, at least, twenty-five years.'wait a second...I know that voice from somewhere' Buffy thought, wracking her brain for the anser.

"Oh sorry luv, here let me introduce you, Buffy I'd like you to meet Lo-".

"Oh my God! Lorne?" Buffy practically screeched when she saw him, giving him a big hug.

"Hay there angel cakes! What brings you down to my humble, hole in the wall demon bar?" Lorne asked returning her hug.

"Well... actually, I'm kinda' here on a date, Spike-"suddenly, Buffy was loudly cut off.

"Wait just a second! Hold it! You two know each other?"

"Know her! She saved me from a Keration demon just a little while back!" Lorne said while putting an arm around her.

"I knew I had heard the name of this place before! Lorne had told me about it just after I had helped him out, he even went so far as to offer me and my company free drinks if I ever stopped in." Buffy said with a flourish, and a smile.

Spike looked at her inquisitively, and Buffy blushed under his gaze.

"Should I be jealous, of you two? Seen' as your giggilin' away like school girls?" he asked with a raised eyebrow, and a small grin.

"Hay there, no worries baby cakes, I'd never dream of taken' your girl" Lorne said with a big grin, and removed his arm.

Spike grinned and pulled Buffy up against his side, Buffy's smile got bigger when he pulled her close, and that he didn't object to Lorne's assumption of them as a couple. 'Well I guess that, technically, we are.'

Spike saw the confused look on her face after Lorne's comment, and, as though reading her mind, he bent down to whisper in her ear, "your mine now luv, no one but me is allowed to touch you like I do" Buffy blushed, but beamed at his words, and Lorne looked at the two blonds with romantic eyes.

"I would never let anyone but you touch me like you do" she whispered back heatedly, before placing a small kiss just below his ear, making him squirm.

Buffy turned back to face Lorne, just to see him swoon at the sight of the two affectionate blonds. "That's it! You two are so going to sing for me tonight!" Buffy and Spike both opened their mouths to protest, but Lorne pot a hand over both of their mouths to silence any objections.

Out of the corner of their eyes Buffy and Spike both looked at each other, and Spike winked at her before they both sunk their teeth down into Lorne's hands. "Ahhhhhhh!" Buffy and Spike both grinned at Lorne as Spike wrapped his arm around Buffy tighter, giving her another squeeze.

Lorne turned around to walk away grumbling "Dumb vampire...thinks he's so funny" suddenly he whipped around to wag his finger at Spike "you're a very bad influence on the innocent!" he scolded, motioning to Buffy, who was trying not to laugh, and turned again "...just because he's older then salt..."

Spike couldn't help but chuckle at the other demon's muttering, and Lorne just happened to hear him, "oh you think that was funny do ya?"

Spike just gave him his "hand-in-cookie-jar" smile, as Buffy had termed it, and Lorne huffed "alright then, now you definitely have to sing, AND! I'm taking back my offer of free drinks!" Spike stared at Lorne, incredulous.

Buffy un wrapped herself from Spike and walked up to Lorne. "Oh come oooonnnn, Lorne! I saved your life, you at least owe me something...pleaseeeee" Buffy said with a little pout, and her puppy eyes, she knew, for a fact, that no one, human or demon, could resist her puppy-pout.

Lorne looked at her for a moment, until finally he sighed, and rolled his eyes.

"finnnnnnne! but Only! because you helped me a while back" Buffy smiled and nudged his shoulder,

"see, that wasn't so bad, was it?" Lorne looked over her head to see Spike's face, he had a look somewhere between pride and incredibility, Lorne shook his head again

"ya actually, that did hurt a little." Buffy smiled as Lorne walked away, and Spike came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"So what was that, that you did to him luv?" he asked curiously.

"Oh nothing really, I just gave him my puppy-pout, when I pull that thing out, resistance is futile!" Spike chuckled at her antics, "I bet I could resist it luv, after all I AM a Master Vampire"

Buffy shrugged then turned to face him, she wrapped her arms around his neck, "sing for me?" she asked,

Spike looked at her, and grinned, "sorry luv, but no, not even for an eternity of 'free drinks'" Spike said chuckling, or, at least he was chuckling until he looked down at her; he had never seen anything so beautiful and innocent, her eyes were big and shining, and her lower lip stuck out as thou begging to be tugged and sucked on by his own lips.

Spike couldn't resist, he dipped his head down and captured her lips.

They were so soft and moist that Spike felt like never coming up for air, reluctantly he broke the kiss to let her breath, and leaned his forehead against hers.

"So...what song do you want to hear? Anything in particular?" he sighed, Buffy giggled, and started kissing him again, "Ah, and just for the record, I gave in because of the kiss, not the face."

Buffy pulled him down again and gave him a sweet kiss on the lips, "Maybe, but you kissed be because of the face."

Spike chuckled "ya, well, you are irresistible" he whispered, and Buffy smiled, before they started kissing again.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

After finding a table with a good view of the stage, Buffy and Spike sat and talked for a bit.

"So luv, I've told you about me, let's hear a little about yourself" Buffy just shrugged, "Not much to tell really, before I was called, I was the Queen of Hermny" Spike looked at her sceptically, "I'm serious! I had everyone, even the teachers, under my thumb...it was wonderful" she said, staring off into space with a dreamy look on her face.

Spike watched as Buffy's facial expressions changed from being dreamy to sad and angry.

"It's amazing you know... that you can have everything taken from you in one word, almost makes you wonder if any of it was real" Spike looked at her with confusion, Buffy saw his look and smiled, "that sounds weird dusn't it? Believe me, I know. Anyway, back to my story, after I was called, the changes were almost instant, I had to stop hanging out with my friends, because I might put them in danger, I started carrying stakes instead of lip-gloss, I started to become truly alone.I was still the Queen, even though I know I shouldn't care, it was the last thing I had of my normal life, and I thrived on it."

Again she smiled wistfully, and again that sad look had covered her face. For some reason that Spike couldn't quite fully comprehend, he was growing more and more angry by every word she uttered. But it wasn't her he was mad at, it was everyone else, her friends that let her go thru all of this alone, her Watcher for not letting her have any friends, but most of his anger was directed at the Powers That Be, he was partially furious at them for pushing this calling on her, and partially angry that they didn't send him to her sooner.

As Spike was cot in his own little world, he had failed to notess that she had started talking again, "...went down to the football field to check up on our football team, like I said, I was making my rounds. Anyway, there was a new guy that had to be initiated, and told of the way we did things around here, and with me being out of it lately, nothing had really gotten done. So I go up to his and introduce myself when someone calls my name from the bleachers, I turn around to see who it is, and the ass hole grabs my ass!" Spike looked just as outraged as she did.

Buffy saw the look on his face and winked, "so naturally, I kicked his ass" Buffy said grinning, and Spike grind back, slowly Buffy's smile turned bitter-sweet.

"Although I don't regret showing him who's boss, that's when it really changed, after that, I stopped being the Queen, I'm still not completely positive why I was down-sized, I have a theory that it has something to do with a girl named Juddy Langcaster but..." Buffy looked at Spike and laughed, "I'm sorry, I'm sure that you don't want to hear all of this" she blushed.

Spike smiled at her shyness, before taking her hand in his and kissing the palm.

"I'm gonna' tell you somethin' luv, and there ant' nothen' you can do about it" they both leaned into each other. " you know how I told you about my sire having a vision, and that I knew what it meant?" Buffy nodded, her eyes looking into his curiously.

"Well...here's the whole story, you see, she had started screaming...

_'It burns Spike! It burns! It burns us all!" suddenly she stopped. _

_"But not you, the sun will not burn you." _

_she said cocking her head to the side, as though to see him better. _

"_You will go, my Spike, the stars say that you will leave. _

_And the sun shall shine upon you, you will bathe and glisten in its glory, never to burn, even when your elders crumble." _

_she made a motion with her hand, of dust crumbing in front of her face, when again she started to whine, tears welling up in her eyes. _

"_You will become a guardian of light, the true mate of an angel" she spat at him "you will leave all that is unholy, and you will make love to_ heaven."

_Through out all of this Spike had stayed silent, she had never spoken to him like this, of all his time serving Drusilla, she had never been this calm, cool, and collected, in short, Spike was a little freaked. _

_He tried to make sense of what she was saying. "What do you mean 'I will become a guardian of light'? What light?" As soon as Spike said the words, Dru attacked, swiping at him with her razor sharp nails, trying to dig out his eyes. _

_But once again, she stopped abruptly, and turned her head as though listening to something. She then turned her head to stair him right in the eye. _

"_You must leave now" she said as though in a trance. "you will go to L.A., you will find your destiny there." She said.'_

"And that was it, she threw me out of our warehouse, wouldn't let me in for anything, finally when the sun came up, I had to leave, the next night, I hoped on a plain, and you know the rest."

Buffy looked at him in astonishment. She had always been good at translating prophecies, so she had a pretty good idea about what Drusilla had been trying to say, she just wasn't sure that Spike knew, so she pretended ignorance.

"So what do you think she meant by all that?" she asked. Spike grinned at her, "in short luv, your mine." he said just before he captured her lips, in a searing kiss.

It may not have been the most eloquent translation, but he got the jist of it, that was enough.

She knew that she would have to do some research on this, just to make sure there was no end of the world prophecy, and she would have to do it in secret, she may love Merrick, but she new that he might do something hasty in order to "protect" her.

Spike was mildly surprised my her reaction, and readiness to accept their fate. He had assumed that, with her being the slayer and all, that she would be completely against the idea, but no, here she was, kissing him senseless, almost ready to crawl over the table

"Kum-hum! Um, do you think that you two loveies would mind coming up for air?" Lorne asked, interrupting them.

Buffy smiled sheepishly, while Spike just glared at him. "Oh yes yes, we know, your very vicious" Lorne said patronizingly, and Spike growled at him, while Buffy giggled behind her hand. Spike herd the giggle and turned to face her. Buffy tried to school her features, but she couldn't help the smile on her face.

"You too?" Buffy just shrugged and kept smiling at him. "Hey! I'm evil! Ok? E-V-I-L! Evil! Get that thru your thick sculls!" Following his outburst Spike leaned back in his chair to pout.

"Of course you are baby cakes" Lorne said, patronizing Spike seemed to be the theme tonight. Spike scowled at him again, and grumbled under him breath.

"Spike, look at where your hands are." Buffy said pointedly. Spike looked down, and sure enough, his left arm was around Buffy's shoulder, while his hand played with her hair, and his right was holding her hand.

"Oh...damn" he said, but never took his hands from her. Buffy smiled at him and turned to face Lorne.

"Sorry Lorne, what did you want?" Lorne smiled at her, "It's your turn angel face."

No matter how much both Buffy and Spike protested, Lorne would have none of it.

In the end, they gave in, with Buffy blaming Spike;

"This is your fault you know."

"My fault? How is this my fault?"

"Because, this was your choice"

"Oh ya... sorry"

"Ya so... you first" she smiled innocently. Spike was about to protest, when the perfect song popped into his head.

"Ok luv…"

Without another word he walked up to the DJ, and walked on stage. Buffy was surprised by his sudden acceptance of her challenge, but didn't question it.

Spike knew exactly what song he was going to do. It wasn't really his taste, but he had herd it on his way here, and the lyrics fit perfectly. When he was finally situated in front of the microphone, the music started up.

Buffy couldn't be surprised when she heard the ruff beginning of a punk song.

**"Falling down from a grey cloud  
****Open wounds still bleeding  
****Yesterday won't forget my name  
****Tomorrow will never forgive me  
****I never felt that I want too much  
****I never said that I need too much  
****But with the lack of the strength I need  
****There I was almost giving up." **

Spike stared her right in the eyes, trying to convey the truth he felt in his words.

**"Then I saw beautiful  
****And opened up my eyes  
****When I found beautiful  
****It opened up my life  
****Now I know beautiful  
****And how things should be  
****You are my beautiful  
****Beautiful to me." **

Spike smiled as the lyrics ran true, and Buffy couldn't help but laugh, when he sent her a cheeky grin.

**"Laying down on a quiet night  
****Hoping that no one will find me  
****I never thought I could feel so low  
****Definition of empty  
****I always knew that I felt too much  
****I always heard that I cared too much  
****But at the edge down upon my knees  
****There I was almost giving up."**

Lorne smiled at the two, and gave a bitter-sweet smile, as he say what lay before them. It would not be an easy road, but they would walk it, together.

**"Then I saw beautiful  
****And it opened up my eyes  
****When I found beautiful  
****It opened up my life  
****Now I know beautiful  
****And how things should be  
****You are my beautiful  
****Beautiful to me." **

By the end, Buffy couldn't help laughing and blushing at the obvious compliment and his cheeky grin. Spike grinned at her smile, and how it seemed to light up the room. He had spent so much time skulking in the dark that he had convinced himself that he hated the light. Now, seeing the light that she radiated, he felt as though he was seeing the sun again for the first time in so long. And the warmth felt good.

**"Yeah you're so beautiful." **

"What'd you think, luv?" Spike asked, coming back to their table.

She laughed and jumped up throwing her arms around him. Lucky for Spike that he didn't have to breathe, when Buffy jumped on him, she knocked the wind out of him, then proceeded to kiss him breathless.

"That was great Spike..." she trailed off, with kisses.

"All right, all right, that's enough...hay! Separate!" Lorne had to shout when they decided to ignore him.

Reluctantly they parted, and turned to face Lorne, but this time, Buffy was just as disgruntled Spike.

Together, the couple turned to face Lorne with a scowl that made him want to back away slowly.

"Woe-there! Sorry to interrupt but it's your turn angel cakes". Buffy sighed, and Spike let her down. They shared one more kiss before Buffy made her way to the stage. Taking the microphone, Buffy blushed and smiled as the first strands of the sultry beat filled the club.

**I'll be right along  
****'Cause baby you're so ****Strong...  
****Baby I see - You're vulnerable to me  
****That's your power over me  
****Baby, baby, I know - It's always been so  
****Physical love is oh so meaningful for you  
****You write love letters to me - strong  
****You know how to talk to me - so strong  
****Baby, I'm yours - you know  
****Because you're so, so strong**

**You would fight for me  
****You would starve for me  
****You would suffer for me  
****You would die for me  
****Well, I feel the same way too  
****You know I feel that way about you **

Buffy and Spike shared a smile, and Spike chuckled.

**I know you're mad about me ****You've shown me because you're so, so strong /b /i **

Buffy looked directly into Spike's liquid blue eyes, as tho asking him a silent question. Spike gave her a sweet smile, and nodded, when she saw his answer, a huge grin spread over her face, and her eyes seemed to sparkle, even in the blinding stage lights.** i b I know you're mad about me ****You've shown me because you're so, so strong /b /i **

When she finished, Buffy walked off of the stage, and straight into Spike's arms.


	4. Chapter 4

**IF you are following this story from a seprite site, please read the entire chapter, other sites forced me to cut this chapter in half, which is one of the main reasons I have desided to post this here. Thank you.**

Chapter Four

As the couple exited Calacis, both Buffy and Spike felt as the magic surrounded them.

"You feel that love?"

"Ya, what is it, and where is it coming from?"

"Not sure pet, but I feel up for a little rough and tumble, how 'bout you?" Spike smiled like a kid in a candy shop. Gaining courage from Spike's confidence, Buffy nodded and smiled back at him.

Silently, from behind the shadows stepped a Shwarsnic demon. Reaching out his purple, scaled arms towards them, the Shwarsnic gurgled his words of jumbled Latin.

"Jack! What the bloody hell do you think your do'en?" Spike screamed, enraged that a demon he had once called friend had betrayed him.

"Simple, Spike." Jack hissed. "I wanted the Slayer!" he laughed. "And you brought her right to me, just like I knew you would. A fool for love, through and through." He said disgustedly.

"What are you talken' about?" Spike asked, sending a worried look towards Buffy. He was worried about the look of understanding that crossed her face.

"Oh, come now, Spike! You didn't actually believe that it was real did you? A vampire falling in love with a Slayer of his own free will? Give me a brake. But then, you've always been a fool for love; I knew that you would be just the person to deliver me the Slayer." The demon gave an evil smirk. "You two can chat about all of this latter…I mean…you have all of eternity…" The demon laughed as a swirling vortex opened under the floating couple. As Buffy and Spike were pulled slowly downward towards the vortex, all was silent, till and eerily dead voice broke through.

"Not real?" Buffy rasped. '_None…none of it was…real…god, I'm such an idiot…how…could I not have seen…seen…of course it wasn't real…none of it…none of it was real…'_ Buffy slowly let the tears drop… _'She had wanted it so badly…wanted the storybook romance. But things like that didn't happen to her…for her…she was the Slayer. That was all she was…and look where dreaming got her. Suspended in the air over a vertex to hell, with a vampire who'd had a curse put on him, so that he could pretend to love her, just like her father…pretending to love her…an evil demon needed a curse to pretend…to love her…'_

"You son of a bitch…" Buffy raised her tear stained face to look at the demon that held them there.

"You fucking son of a bitch. I don't care where you send me…but you had better pray to god it's as far as you can get from this dimension. Because I promise…wherever you go, what ever you do…be prepared…In to every generation a Slayer is born. And I swear this to you…one after another; we will hunt you down, and kill everything you hold dear. Slayers don't love lightly or often. You just fucked with the wrong heart, you fucker's whore." As Buffy said this, a look of fear came over Jack's face. Her voice was deadly calm, and there was promise in her eyes.

"Buffy, luv, I…"

"Shut up vampire!" She yelled scathingly. "Don't you dare think of saying my name again!"

Spike was stunned, and more than a little hurt. '_He had been telling the truth! It wasn't all lies! Not to him! He had really felt it! He felt it still!'_ Spike didn't notice the turn his thoughts made as they were pulled threw the vortex. _'Bitch doesn't know who she's talking to…gotta learn her place…whether she likes it of not, she's mine! And she will learn that…sooner or later…' _

With a hard thump, Buffy and Spike landed on the rough, hard rock of the floor. When they fell, Buffy had managed to hit her head on the hard floor knocking her out. Shaking her head Buffy shook off the pain, and turned to find Spike, only to see him walking away from her.

"Spike? What…what are you doing?"

Turning to look at her, Spike had a furious and disgusted look on his face as his eyes settled on her. "I'm leaven' what's the hell it look like?!" he yelled back at her, heedless of her tears.

"What? Why?" She asked brokenly. Why would he leave her?

"Well, you know…I just figured that you would want the filthy vampire out of your

sight! Isn't that what you said? Stupid, filthy, lowly, disgusting evil vampire!

Is that not what I am?!" Spike yelled stalking back to her.

"Is that what you need?" he sneered.

"Is that what you wanted? Cause I got to tell you 'luv', you are one sick Bitch if that's how you get off. Pathetic too. Had to go find your self a demon to pretend for you, couldn't ever find a human to finally show you some attention. You see 'luv'? You're even a freak in our world. Demons hate you, humans fear you…and nobody, out of that whole lot gives a fuck. Not your father, your mother… I even find my self not giving a rat's ass about who the fuck kills you. In fact, I find my self looking forward to it, the though makes me tingle." He drawled, smiling evilly.

Through his speech, Buffy had fallen to the ground, sobbing.

But Spike didn't hear her gut wrenching sobs, or see her river of tears. He merely laughed at the pathetic lump in front of him.

Suddenly, Spike seemed to snap back to himself. And what he saw when he did…it was the most horrific thing he had ever seen. Tears ran down her face, as blood ran down her arms, legs, hands, feet, back, stomach, and skull.

Spike felt as though he was going to be sick.

Blood mingled with her tears creating a pink wash that pooled around her fallen body.

"Bu-Buffy…god. What…what…" Spike couldn't find the words. He hadn't heard any screaming that would usually come with this kind of torture. Hadn't heard the swish of the blade, or the crack of the whip…only his own voice…only his words…God, what the fuck had he said? Why did he say those things? It hadn't been him. He would never do that to her!

"Buffy…luv?" he spoke softly as he reached out to touch her. Buffy felt him come closer to her and flinched away, hugging her self tighter. Spike's undead heart clenched in his chest. He hadn't protected her…he had been so caught up in his own pain, that he forgot about her…ignored her…said that he hated her…that he wanted to kill her…he had caused this.

"Buffy…I, I wont hurt you luv…just, you've gotta tell me who…who did this, to you?"

Shaking now, and pulling farther away from him, Buffy moved her arms, which had been protecting her face.

"You…you…already…did…" she choked out. Spike stopped breathing. i _'No…No! He wouldn't! He never would have done this! Not to her! Not to Buffy! He must have misunderstood, yes, he just heard her wrong…'_ /i

"What…what do you mean, luv?" he asked, his voice shaking. She flinched as though she had been cut again when he called her 'luv.'

"You Spike…you already have hurt me…you did this to me…you broke me…you killed me…Spike? Why did you do this? I loved you…" She whispered brokenly.

"No. Oh please god no. I didn't do this…" Spike whispered, also broken.

"Yes you did. I loved you. And you killed me…Why, Spike? Why would you do this?" Buffy accused.

"NO!" He screamed, lunging for her. Buffy cried out in surprise.

"Please No! No! No more! I'll do anything you want…just, please! No more! No more!" Buffy screamed over and over again trying as hard as she could to get away from him.

Blindly, Buffy crawled as fast as she could, looking for an escape, until she came up against a huge, solid wall. Sobbing in dismay, Buffy tried to clime the wall, when finding it slick; she started to dig through it.

"No, no, no, gotta get away, gotta get out." She mumbled under her breath as she tried to dig.

One after the other, her nails broke, but Buffy ignored the pain. One by one, her fingers were ripped open, and bleeding. And again Buffy ignored the pain, as more of her blood clotted the dirt.

Spike just stood behind her, unable to stop her, unable to look away…helpless._'Your not helpless, you're just bloody scared! You say you love her! Than help her! Stop being so damn afraid of being run from. Ya, it'll hurt but…would you rather see her in pain, or you? Cause if it's the first mate, than…you love her less than you realized.' _Nodding his head, Spike calmly walked over behind the Slayer.

"Buffy, stop it!" he said in a commanding voice, tears running down his face. Her movements stopped instantly.

"Good. Can you walk?" he asked in a softer tone, but kept the command.

Buffy hesitated before shaking her head negatively. Carefully, Spike walked towards her, and stiffened when she tensed at his approach.

"I want you to relax." He said calmly. "That's not an order, but it is what I want." Buffy relaxed slightly, but Spike could see the rigidness of her posture.

"Good girl. Now, I'm going to pick you up. Are you going to fight me?" again she shook her head in the negative.

"Good girl. Now come here." Spike said, as he lifted her into his arms. Cuddling her closely into his chest, Spike stood, contented for a moment, just to hold her, to burry his face into her neck, and take in her sent.

Then he broke down.

"I'm sorry my love…so sorry…" Spike sobbed into her hair. "I can't…I'm sorry…so sorry, couldn't…couldn't help…can't take it back…I love you, I love you…please, god…I love you so much…" Spike sobbed harder.

"Shhh, now…its ok now…it's ok…it's gonna be ok…" A soothing voice said from above him. Spike felt a hand stroking his hair, as well as rubbing his back in a soothing manner.

"Bu-Buffy?" Spike stuttered trough his tears.

"Ya Spike, it's ok…I'm here…everything's going to be fine…" she comforted. A few moments ago, Buffy had awoken to see Spike tossing, and crying in his sleep.

While she had been out, Buffy had had her worst fear realized, and acted out in high definition complete with surround sound.

When suddenly, it had switched. It had felt as though something had taken over her body. Buffy watched in horror, as thousands of lashes appeared on her skin.

And then the pain hit. Oh god the pain! It was the most excruciating thing she had ever felt. Buffy could do nothing but curl up in a ball and wait for the pain to subside.

That's when she heard his voice. The thing that was controlling her flinched at the sound, when the real her just wanted to go to him, to seek comfort in his arms.

But she couldn't.

She realized with sudden clarity, that this was Spike's worst fear! Him hurting her, having her fear him. Just as hers was that she would hurt him, and that he would leave. Buffy watched in horror as the scene played out in front of her. When Spike finally enfolded her in his arms, Buffy was thrown out of the dream, and back into her body

"Oh God, Buffy!" Spike sobbed loudly again clinging to her around the waist. "I'm sorry luv…I'm so sorry, I hurt you…oh god, I hurt you…"

"Spike stop…look at me…" She commanded firmly. Obediently, Spike raised his head to look at her. She still had the tear stained cheeks, but her clothes were no longer ripped and shredded. The stench of her blood no longer perforated the air. And she was holding him, of her own free will.

"It wasn't real Spike, non of it was real."

"I don't understand…what's going on? What's happening? Hell, what's happened?" Spike was thuroly confused. One minute Buffy's running from him, the next, she's holding him…comforting him.

"We were living out our worst fears. But it wasn't real. This is hell remember? And we have to work together to get out of here. Are you with me?"

"Buffy, love…before it's to late…you have to know, it was all real! Truly luv! I meant every word! Please luv…please…You have to believe me…I need you to believe me…I.." Buffy quickly cut Spike off when she lifted his chin, and placed a soft kiss on his lips.

"I believe you Spike." She said softly against his lips. After everything that she had seen, Buffy held no elusions that Spike didn't love her.

"Thank God, love!" He said, kissing every part of her face he could reach.

"Oh luv!" kiss "thank you!" kiss "really!" kiss "I'll show you!" kiss, "I'll show you!" Kiss. By the time Spike was satisfied the he had covered Buffy's entire face in kisses, She was giggling on the floor, with an amorous Spike above her.

"My god you're beautiful…" he whispered in her ear. His hands started running down her body, as his mouth attacked her neck, and he raised his head when she gasped suddenly. "Buffy. . ." he rasped, his eyes searching hers. She looked him dead in the eye. "Please Spike…make love to me." With a groan, Spike attacked her mouth. When his lips touched hers, she felt like she was being burned by icy heat. She almost felt like she was drowning as his teeth nipped her bottom lip. His tongue swept across it to soothe and tease, then dipped inside to taste. At the first tentative touch of their tongues, everything but each other was forgotten. Her fingers fisted in his hair as he tried to devour her, taking everything she gave and giving back equal in return. She tasted like sunshine and life and Spike found himself desperate for more.

His hand skimmed under her shirt, his rough fingers gliding over the silken skin of her back. She trembled against him, her moan lost in his mouth.

She kissed him back hungrily, her tongue dueling with his. He was like nothing she had ever tasted before. Cigarettes and beer, with a slightly coppery taste combined into an intoxicating bouquet that screamed Spike.

She gasped a breath as she changed the angle, deepening the kiss. Clothes suddenly became a hindrance as they tried to touch everywhere at once. The evidence of his arousal pressed firmly against her thigh, and she wanted it. Now. She was still a virgin, but Spike made her feel sexy and wanton. And she loved the feeling. Tearing her mouth away from his, she pushed him onto his back, and rose above him like a goddess, her golden hair framing her flushed face.

Hastily yanking her shirt and bra over her head, she grabbed his hands and placed them over her breasts. Surging up, he caught one of the stiff nubs in his mouth, sucking hard. His other hand mimicked the movements of his tongue on her flesh. She clutched the back of his head, and ground her denim covered heat into his likewise hindered erection.

Mewling noises escaped her throat as he worked his magic on her breasts, his hips thrusting up in time with her movements against him. Soft growls were muffled against her skin, as his hand traveled to the band of her jeans. His mouth switched to lavish attention on the other soft swell of her bosom, and his fingers deftly popped the clasp of her pants.

"Off, now." He hissed, releasing her so she could remove them. He sat up to do the same, and once they were both naked, they reached for each other again.

Spike rolled them until she was on her back, legs wrapped firmly around his hips. He paused for a moment to look at her underneath him, he knew she was still a virgin, and so forced himself to slow down.

"Buffy, luv, it's gonna' hurt, I wont lie. But only for a moment, and then I'm gonna' make you feel so good…" Buffy looked up at him with clarity and love shining n her eyes.

"I know Spike…Make love to me…please…" Spike lowered his head to kiss her passionately. When he felt her relax into his kiss he pushed inside with one hard thrust. Buffy cried out, and clung to him as the pain shot through her.

"I'm sorry luv…only gonna hurt for a moment…gonna make you feel so good baby…my girl…my sweet Buffy…never gonna' hurt you again…love you…love you…" Spike whispered as the pain subsided.

Experimentally, Buffy lifted her hips, and gasped at the feeling of him moving inside her.

"Please Spike...I need you..." Buffy pleaded. Spike groaned and pushed further inside her.

"You got me luv...you feel that? You got all of me..." he said as he slowly started to move inside of her.

"Oh god…Spike!" She said throwing her head back.

"Look at me luv...want you to look at me...as I make love to you..." He was panting hard now.

"Yes my love, make love with me..." She cooed, his pace was becoming a slow torture for the both of them.

"Please Spike...faster...make me yours." Spike was thrilled by her words. Lifting her legs, and placing them around his abdomen, he thrust hard again, making Buffy go wild.

Pulling him down more firmly on top of her, Buffy raked her long nails down his back. Spike growled, and went deeper still, hitting her G-spot on every thrust. Shocked by the sudden waves of pleasure, Buffy arched off the ground.

"Oh god Spike!" she cried.

"Please Spike, oh god, ah! Yes! …So close! Os close! SPIKE!" As her voice became louder, her muscles tightened around him.

"God luv...so close...bloody inferno...don't know...how much...longer..."

"I love you... "She managed to say with perfect clarity.

And just like that, Spike was thrown over the edge. Howling, Spike was lost. Acting on pure instinct, he sank his fangs into her neck.

Buffy was consumed by the pleasure.

"Yes! Spike, YES!"

"I claim you as My Mate, My Wife, My Queen. Do you accept my clam?"

The Slayer surged in Buffy, and she sank her human teeth into his neck, acting on pure, primal instinct.

"I accept your claim, and claim you as mine in return; My Mate, My Husband, My King. Do you accept my claim?"

"I accept." Spike whispered.

The two lovers watched, as a golden light infused Buffy's body, and silver consumed Spike's. In awe, the two watched as the lights met and fused.

_'That's it luv. We are now, officially, Mate's.' _Spike said without breaking the silence of the room.

"You know I love you right?" Buffy said looking up at him. Spike seemed to glow his happiness.

"Have I ever told you how much I love you?" Buffy seemed to sink into the floor like the puddle of goo his smiles always turned her into.

"Tell me again?" Buffy requested as she pulled him closer for another kiss.

"I love you." He whispered against her lips.

_'I love you too.' _She whispered back.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

"So, This is hell?" Spike asked looking around. It was pretty much just as he imagined it would be; sharp rocks, fire everywhere, yep, looked like hell to him."

"One of them." Buffy said, standing up and dusting her self off.

"What do you mean pet?" Spike asked raising an eyebrow.

Buffy smiled at him. "There are millions of hell dimensions. Believe it or not, but were still in L.A."

Spike looked at her in surprise. "Really?"

Buffy nodded at his look. "Yep, I've already shut this realm down."

Spike was both shocked and impressed. "When and how did you manage that one luv?"

Together, Buffy and Spike walked out of the small cave they had fallen into, and out into the boiler room.

As they walked through the ruble, and around the large flaming boilers, Buffy told Spike of the time one of her friends had gone missing; "Merrick had discovered a literally underground cult that took kids off of the streets and put them down here to work until they where to old. After that, they just spit them back out on the street with no one the wiser."

"And no one noticed?" Spike asked incredulously.

Buffy shrugged. "When we drove into the parking lot of Caritas, How many homeless people did you see?" Buffy asked.

"None, it's too dangerous for anything not demon to hang around there and live." Spike said.

Buffy shuck her head. "Wrong. There were three old people, and four kids."

Again Spike looked at her in total surprise. Buffy shrugged again. "You blend in when you're homeless. You could be standing directly in front of someone, and they still won't see you. All they see is the wall behind you, or the door way you're huddled in." She explained.

"You say that like you've actually experienced it." Spike observed.

"I have." Spike looked at her sharply.

"When I first became the Slayer, my parents were fighting constantly…One night, I went out, nearly got killed by some average vamp, my fault, I wasn't paying attention. Later, I came home; my dad, he…said some things…I couldn't take it…so I left. Didn't even tell my watcher, just up and left home. I got a job at this moldy old dinner. Found a dumpy old apartment, $300 a month, it was all I could afford. That was actually where I met Lily. Every day she would come in at 9:00 pm, dump on the counter, whatever money she had found on the street that day, and I would give her a peace of cake. On the days she didn't get the money, I would pay for it. That's how we met. One day she didn't show, and my spidey sense told me that something was wrong. That was how we discovered this place." Buffy said as she stood on the platform where the big show down had gone down. Spike walked up and stood beside her.

"You're incredible, do you know that?" Spike whispered, pulling her closer for a deep kiss.

"They think so too." A voice spoke through the empty cellar.

"What the bloody hell?"

"Whoa, where did you come from?"

"Hello Slayer. Hello William the Bloody." Said the demon in front of the couple.

"Don't take this the wrong way mate, but who the hell are you?" Spike asked, stepping up beside Buffy.

"Hey, no need to get snippy; the names Whistler, personal messenger for the Powers That Be."

"Oh bloody hell! Listen, we're already in hell, couldn't you lot come back later?"

Whistler shrugged and turned his attentions to the Slayer.

"Ok, we know who you are, now you can tell us why you are here?" Buffy asked crossing her arms under her chest and glairing at him. She hated being here again. She could still feel the death and age around her.

"Hey, calm down there Slayer. You got all the time in the world, so whats the rush?" Whistler said shrugging his shoulders. "I mean…look at this atmosphere." He said swinging his arms to encompass the room.

Buffy was getting frustrated fast. "Listen here you little 70's reject; if you have something to tell me than I am grateful for if. If not, than I suggest you get out of my sight before I pull out your ribcage and wear it as a hat." Spike wrapped his arms around her waist and places a kiss on her neck. "That was beautiful luv." He whispered in her ear. "Thank you honey." Buffy murmured back without braking eye contact with Whistler.

"Hello to the imagery! Very nice…listen, that's why I'm here." Buffy and Spike both stared at him blankly. "The guys up stairs want to congratulate you."

"Congratulate us?" Buffy said turning to look at Spike. Spike shrugged back at her.

"No one saw you two coming. We had figured this for another champion. Then you guys made with the smooches, and the pieces just sort of fell into place."

"Wait, so what are you saying?" Buffy was thoroughly confused, and Spike wasn't much better.

"I'm saying that you guys have been chosen." Whistler said with a flourish.

Again Buffy turned her blank stair to Spike. "I like how he says that like it means something." Spike chuckled wrapping both arms around her shoulders from behind. Buffy turned her attention back to Whistler and raised her hand as though to answer the teachers question.

"Uh, hi there, maybe you haven't quite grasped this concept but; Slayer? The **Chosen **One? Ring any bells? I've already _been _Chosen."

Whistler smirked at her. "Ya, but your about up for a promotion wouldn't you say?"

Buffy grinned and bounced. "Really? Cool!"

Spike stepped up to stand beside her. "Hold on a second there luv. I've never heard of a Slayer getting a 'promotion' before. You are what you are. No take backs, no upgrades." Buffy's bubble seemed to deflate before his eyes, and Spike hated the disappointed look on her face, so he turned his eyes on the whipping boy.

"What does she have to do, and what does she get if she does it?" Spike growled at the little demon. Whistler held up his hands in surrender.

"Whoa there scary vampire. I said that you _guys_ have been chosen; as in both of you."

Spike looked at him suspiciously as Buffy slipped her hand into his, giving it a slight squeeze. "Just what aren't you sayin' mate? What have we been chosen for?"

Whistler pulled him self up to his full height, all 5'4", and looked at the blond couple with pride.

"Vampire." He addressed Spike.

"Slayer." He addressed Buffy.

"You have been chosen by the Powers That Be, to become…the King & Queen of the Balance Realm."

Buffy and Spike stared at Whistler with their mouths agape. Whistler smirked at them and raised his head to the ceiling. "Are you guys seeing this? Mark this in one of those history books. For the first time in history, their both speechless." He stilled, listening to something, nodded, and moved towards Buffy. Spike seemed to snap out of it when Whistler approached them and growled as the demon stuck his hand out to touch Buffy's forehead. "Relax Spike, they just want to talk to her." Spike still glared at him but otherwise remained silent. Deep sapphire eyes watched; as Whistler's hand came in contact with the Slayer's head, a dim misty light glowed from his fingers, and Buffy nearly crumpled to the floor. If Spike's reflexes had been slower, he wouldn't have caught her. As it was, Spike gently lifted Buffy into his arms and held her as she slept. Spike looked at Whistler with a question in his eyes.

"A dream, when she wakes up; everything's going to be different. I hope your both prepared for this. There is no going back now." Whistler said cryptically. Spike nodded, and watched as the little demon faded from sight.

_**Buffy's Dream**_

"_Chosen one…" an invisible voice seemed to whisper._

_Buffy was surprised at where she found her self. A vast expanse of darkness. Not a room. Not a cave. Just, black…a never-ending darkness. She was also surprised to realize that she knew exactly where she was. Well…maybe not __where __she was, but at least who was speaking. _

"_Chosen one…" the eco of voices said again. Unsure of how to handle the situation, Buffy resorted to what she did know…bossiness and sarcasm._

"_Uh, ya, uh hi there, um, ok, I figure that you have this whole lecture, or whatever to give me about being chosen __again__, but, can we at least get some chairs, or a couch even before we start?" Buffy asked not focusing on anything in particular, as there was nothing to focus on. Silence greeted Buffy's request, as was expected, so when a huge fluffy couch suddenly appeared beside her, Buffy silently walked over and sat down._

"_You know…" Buffy stated conversationally "since we are going to have this long discussion, why don't we have it like proper supernatural beings…" when nothing happened for a few seconds, Buffy continued, _

_"You know, facing each other?" again her statement was greeted by silence, but in the same amount of time it took her couch to appear, an identical piece appeared directly across from her, along with three entities._

_Too Buffy, they were strange, yet…familiar. Though they had no real gender they looked to be two men, and one woman. The man on the left (Buffy's left) looked to be wearing ancient African ceremonial robes in different shades of red and orange, he had a kind face, with short brown hair, and looked like the spitting image of what she imagined the first watcher would look like._

_The woman in the middle was wearing similar robes, but hers seemed to be different shades of purple, unlike the man in red to her right, she had deep chocolate colored skin, and her hair piled on top of her head where it was tucked under an African headdress._

_The last man was harder to describe. He wore a set of black robes, the same style as the other two, but with different shades of black, with smock gray, and silver mixed in. By far he looked the most fierce. With jet-black hair, and steel eyes, he unnerved her, yet set her at ease at the same time._

"_Chosen one." Said the woman in purple._

"_Slayer." Said the man in black._

"_Buffy." Said the man in red._

_Buffy looked at them each in turn as they said her name or title._

"_Yes." She said, sensing the seriousness of the room._

_"Buffy, you are the Chosen one, the Slayer, and yet you have mated with a vampire, but not just any vampire, a master, non other than William the Bloody…" Buffy had been looking directly at him for most of what he had said, but when he mentioned Spike, Buffy lowered her head, waiting for the reprimand, that she knew was coming._

_"…And_ _I speak for all of us, when I say, we are extremely proud of you." He said with a fatherly smile. Buffy looked up at him with astonished eyes._

"_What?" she was speechless; surly she hadn't heard him right. The man in black chuckled quietly. _

"_It seems, Stan that you have struck the girl speechless." _

"Indeed, a rare, yet lovely occurrence." The woman chuckled with him. Buffy blushed a deep pink.

"_Oh, ha ha ha, lets all laugh at the Slayer, cause she has no idea what's going on." Buffy said leaning back into the couch and crossing her arms in a pout. Again, Stan Smiled at her, and she relaxed a bit. _

"_Buffy, as you know, we are The Powers That Be. The three of us decides what happens to your world. We decided long ago that your plain, needed order. The King & Queen of the demon world, are exactly that. The King & Queen. And we believe that you and William would be a superb match. Now, before you get any ideas, no, we did not "create" your love. You your selves did that, we just helped a little, mostly all we have done, is send William's sire, Drusilla, a vision on the matter, and you took it from there." _

_Again he smiled at her, and again, she smiled back. Nodding, Buffy looked at all three of them. The woman in purple was next to speak. _

"_Buffy. As the Chosen one, you have been gifted. When you mated with William, your essences combined, and you became one, just as any normal mated pair would do. But being the Slayer, this means something different for you." Buffy rolled her eyes, everything was always different for her. _

"_This may be hard to take in all at once but, you are now, The Queen And William is your King." _

_Buffy was stunned, again, into silence. With eye's the size of saucers, Buffy found her voice. _

"_What…what do you mean?" she was afraid to ask. Smiling at her fondly, the woman explained. _

"_You see Buffy, for quite sometime now, your world has been hurting, and in danger. And there is more trouble to come I'm afraid. And so, we created you; or at least, your situation. You see, we realized a long time ago that some of the demon world, and even some demi-gods, refused to follow our guidance. And so, they started following rules of their own. What we needed was some one who they respected, who they would follow without question. And so, we created a prophecy, the prophecy of The King & Queen of the Demon world. It has been written for over thirteen hundred years." Buffy sat there, stunned again._

"_So…what does that mean, exactly?" she asked._

"_It means," spoke the man in black. "That you are now the Queen of the demon world, and they shall treat you as such. You will have a new range of powers, which you will learn for your self in time. As well, you will have a direct line of contact with us whenever you wish. In turn, you will behave, as a Queen should, just, and fare. It is what we expect of you when dealing with your subjects, nothing but the best." Buffy, who had been sitting on the edge of the couch as the Man in black spoke, fell backwards into the cushions when he finished._

"_Buffy? Dear? Are you alright?" Stan asked, looking a tad worried. _

_Buffy blinked at the sound of his voice, "Ya Stan, I'm fine, just, a lot to take in." _

"_We understand Buffy, it would be a lot for anyone." Stan replied leaning forward to pat her knee. Buffy smiled again at the wise man. Sighing, Buffy stood, and the other three followed suite. _

"_Thank you…for everything, I really, really don't know what to say, or quite what I'm feeling at the moment, but I can tell you that I feel a great gratitude towards you, and what you have done for me, and for Spike." Buffy smiled at them, and moved forward to shake each hand in turn. _

"_Wait a second; I just realized that I don't know either of your names." Buffy said, standing in front of the woman, and the other man. Smiling, the woman shook Buffy's hand. _

"_My name is Ilianasamartan, but Anna will suffice." She said warmly. Turning to the man in black, Buffy shook his hand. _

"_My name is Eric, just Eric, Mistress." Buffy smiled fondly at him. "Thank you Eric, Anna, Stan. For everything. But if you don't mind, I think I would like to go back to Spike now." All three smiled at her and nodded, just as the couches started to disappear, Buffy yelled out. _

"_Wait, stop! One more thing…Spike, Does he know about any of this?" she asked. Eric smiled. _

"_No, actually, we thought we would leave that to you." _

Without another thought, Buffy was back in the caves, with Spike watching over her.

"Have a nice trip luv?" Spike smiled down at her.

Buffy grinned and shrugged. "Ya, not much of a view, but I met some neat new people." Spike laughed and pulled her in for a passionate kiss.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

"So how do you get out of here luv? We've been walking for some time, and I have yet to see an exit." Spike asked almost two hours later.

"Oh, this way." Buffy pulled Spike by the hand up a flight of stairs and into the small alcove where the door in the ceiling used to be.

"Bite me!" Buffy muttered in frustration. Spike looked at her in question. "The door used to be right here!" Buffy pointed. Spike contemplated the ceiling as he listened to the Slayer's ranting. "Shit! I forgot that it sealed as soon as we were out." Buffy fumed, throwing her hands in the air.

'_Calm down luv. Doesn't seem too thick. We should be able to brake through.' _

Buffy turned to him. "What?"

"Why don't we just bust thru it our selves?"

"Though the ceiling?" Buffy said with doubt.

"Well why not?" He thought it was a ruddy great idea.

"Spike, the PTB brought us here for a reason. I really don't think their going to make it that easy for us to leave." Buffy said, still doubtful.

"It's worth a shot luv." He said.

"Spike, the PTB brought us here for a reason. I really don't think their going to make it that easy for us to leave." Buffy said, still doubtful.

"It's worth a shot." He said, eyeing the ceiling for possible week spots.

Buffy shruged her shoulders. "Why not? We've got nothing better to do." She said, turning to rip a poll out of the wall, sending plaster and debris everywhere.

"Really luv? I'm hurt." Spike said, pushing his tongue behind his teeth and giving her a sexy grin.

Buffy blushed, smiling shyly back at him. "Uh-hu. Quit being you, and go be manly." She said tossing him the poll, as she went to sit on another huge bolder.

Spike continued to look at her with a raised eyebrow as she sat down. "What?" Buffy asked seeing the look he was giving her.

"Aren't you going to help?" Buffy smiled cutely at him.

"Nope. You're the big strong man, you don't need me getting in your way. Besides, I have confidence in you." Buffy cajoled. _'Plus I like to watch you ripple.'_ Spike chuckled, but couldn't help puffing up at her unintended ego boost.

"Hey hunny?"

"Ya?"

"Do vampires sweat?"

"No luv, can't say as we do. Why?"

"Oh. No reason." _'Damn it! And no water in Hell ether. He can't glisten at all. Man, this sucks.'_ Buffy pouted, resting her head in her hands.

Spike chuckled at her thoughts._ 'You do know that can hear you, right luv?'_

Buffy blushed deeply. _'That's going to take some getting used to.' _Buffy moaned in her head. Spike chuckled again but missed the evil smirk she sent him. _'So, we can hear each other's thoughts?'_ Buffy asked, seemingly innocent.

'_Yep.'_ Spike said, not paying full attention as he went back to his work.

"Can we send other things? Like…instead of words?" She asked in the same tone.

"I suppose so. For instance, if you were in danger, you could send me a picture of where you were, and I would come find you." He was so preoccupied with what he was doing, that he barely heard what she said next.

"Ya…we could. Or…we could use it for more important things…"Spike was suddenly bombarded with images of him and Buffy in various positions.

Buffy couldn't help the moan that escaped her lips as the image of Spike tied to a bed and at her mercy, crossed her vision. Spike heard the sound, and turned to see her hooded gaze, and labored breathing. Spike growled at her, and a sudden flood of moisture rushed between her legs.

Spike could smell her arousal. "Right then." Spike thru the poll to the side. "Brake time." He growled again.

Buffy squealed as Spike lunged at her.

"Oh Spike!" Rang thru the underground world.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

"Buffy?!" Joyce nearly yelled, yanking the door off it's hinges.

"Sorry Mrs. Summers. It's just me." Joyce stared at the man in front of her for a few moments, trying to get over her disappointment at it not being Buffy at the door. When Joyce finally did snap out of it, it was to realize that she had not clue as to who this man was. Though he obviously knew her.

"Who are you?" Joyce asked with a slight edge of hostility to her voice. She was angry with him for not being Buffy. And for making her think he was.

"Sorry. My name is Whistler." The little demon said politely, taking off his hat in a sign of respect.

Joyce eyed the smaller man up critically. If he was trying to sell her something this late at night, she was going to beat him over the head with an axe.

"I'm here to talk to you about your daughter." He said cryptically. Joyce immediately rushed him into her home, and forced him to sit on her couch wile she stood nervously in front of him, ringing her hands.

"Oh God! Buffy! Is she all right? Has something happened? Where is she?" Joyce said in near panic.

"Whoa, whoa, calm down Mrs. Summers. Buffy's fine. She's perfectly safe, she's just…on vacation at the moment, and I've been sent to talk to you." Whistler said, being sure to make sure that she didn't hit him with any flailing limbs.

"About what? What is this all about? Who are you? Where's Buffy?" Joyce said, now frustrated, and panicking.

"I've been sent to explain everything to you…or I should say, to show you." Joyce was too worried about her daughter at the moment, to even be mad at the man's obscure sentience structure.

"Show me what? Where is my baby?" Joyce's expression, and voice hardened when she got no further comment from him. Taking a threatening step towards the now cowering demon, Joyce's voice held promise, with deadly intent. "What. Is going. On?"

"Mrs. Summers. I think that you should sit down for this." Whistler said nervously. He had dealt with some majorly heavy people in his time, but for some reason, the Slayer's mom scarred the crap out of him.

Taking the man's advice, Joyce sat in the rocking chair opposite him.

"Mrs. Summers. You're not going to believe really, anything that I'm about to tell you. But you need to know that's its all real, it's all true, and it's all about your daughter..."

Joyce merely nodded, and continued to sit there in silence.

"Ok, I'm just going to get right too it. This will be a lot to take in all at once, so feel free to ask any questions." Whistler cleared his throght. "Demons are real. Magic, the supernatural, the occult, its all real. Everything you've ever seen in those Hollywood movies, the witches, the vampires, the zombies, creature from the black lagoon, there all real…

_**A few hours later**_

Joyce sat back in her chair, just trying to absorb everything. "Are you a crazy person?" Joyce asked with utmost seriousness.

"No." Whistler could defiantly understand her shock.

Joyce nodded, accepting his answer. Monsters were real. Joyce just couldn't wrap her head around it.

There really were things that went bump-in-the-night. Some good, some not so good. And her daughter had been chosen to fight and kill them. Her baby girl. And now she had been chosen again. Chosen for an even higher purpose than before.

"Are you lying, or trying to make a fool out of me?" Joyce asked again, in a completely serious voice.

"No Mrs. Summers. I speak directly for the Powers That Be. Your daughter and her mate, William the Bloody, have been chosen as the King & Queen of the Balanced Realm. Together, they are the most powerful beings in this dimension." Whistler recited for the second time.

Joyce, looked at him, and then around the room. This was all so surreal.

"Why is he called 'William the Bloody'? Is he evil?" Joyce asked with innocence.

Whistler smirked at her slight change in topic. "He likes to say that he's still evil, and if he were here he would probably try to kill me for saying this but…beauty always tames the beast."

Joyce smiled at that. "So he loves her?" she asked hopefully.

Whistler nodded. "Mrs. Summers, I have never seen anyone so whipped, so fast, and by someone so small, in all of my years of existence." He chuckled. Joyce smiled. She just wanted her baby to be happy.

"So…she- they are happy? Together, I mean?" She had to be sure that her daughter was safe, and making the right decision.

"Mrs. Summers, There never has, and never will be again, a love like what Buffy and Spike share together."

Joyce smiled serenely. Her daughter had found love. True love. And she was only sixteen.

"Well…She's always been special." Joyce shrugged. This was still to much to take in all at once.

Whistler smiled at her, and stood when she did. "If you don't mind, Mr. Whistler. I think I'm going to go to bed now. It's been an…interesting, if not long night." Joyce said, walking him to the door.

"It was nice to meet you Mrs. Summers. Oh, forgot to mention, Buffy and Spike will be coming home sometime tomorrow night. They don't know that we've told you everything, so the ball's in your court." Whistler said, putting his hat back on as he stepped over the threshold. "Oh, and please. Call me Whistler. The Mr. Makes me feel my age." Joyce chuckled.

"I understand Whistler. Thank you. Oh, and please, call me Joyce." Joyce said, kindly shaking the demons hand.

"Good Night Joyce."

"Good Night."

Finally closing the door, Joyce slumped against it. "Nice man…no sense of style." Shrugging to herself, Joyce stiffly made her way, up the stairs, and into bed.

_**+Dream+ **_

It was white. That was all that she could see. There was no floor, no ceiling no walls. Just white. And she was floating.

'_Honestly guys, one of these days, I'm gonna come in and paint this place so that you can actually see the walls. And what's with the floating?'_ Joyce recognized the voice as soon as she heard it. And even if she hadn't, there was no mistaking that snarking tone.

'_Buffy?'_ Joyce asked the empty room.

'_Mom?'_ All of a sudden Buffy appeared in front of her wearing a simple pair of jeans and white T-shirt.

'_Holy crap, Mom!'_ Buffy squealed running into Joyce's arms.

'_Buffy! Oh thank God your alright!'_ Joyce squeezed Buffy as hard as she could.

'_Oh my God! Mom!' _Buffy squeeled again, hugging her mother tightly.

'_Buffy, gentel, I'm breakable you know.'_ Joyce laughed, running her hand through Buffy's hair.

Calming down, Buffy pulled back enough to see her mother's face. _'Are you ok? What's happened? Why are you here?'_ Buffy said in a frightened voice.

_'I'm fine hunny. I think this is just a dream.'_

'_Are you dreaming, or am I?'_ Buffy asked.

'_I think we both are. The last thing I remember is going to bed.' _Joyce said thoughtfully.

Buffy tilted her head to the side._ 'Ya, the last thing I remember is drifting off on top of Spi-Oh, um…on top of a rock.' _Buffy blushed, realizing her slip.

Joyce smiled, and silently giggled at her_. 'You don't have to worry Buffy. I know all about it: you and William, you being the Slayer, about the demons, and what comes next for you both.' _Joyce explained. Very suddenly, there was a lush white sofa beside the two women. Joyce directed them towards it before sitting down with her daughter.

Buffy looked up sharply in surprise._ 'What? How? Who told you?' _Buffy asked.

Joyce settled her self comfortably against the cushions, pulling Buffy back with her and stroking her hair. _'Well, it was the neatest thing. I was at home last night, or I suppose it would be tonight…anyway, the doorbell rang, and standing at the door was this short man in a bad suite. I was so frantic over your sudden disappearance, that when he told me that he had news of you, I just rushed him inside. Anyway, to make a long story short, he explained everything to me, and told me that you would be coming home sometime tomorrow night.'_

For a moment, Buffy just sat there thinking things through.

'_So…that means that Spike and I are coming home tomorrow?'_ Buffy asked, more to herself than her mother.

'_Yes, that's what I was told. A demon named Whistler said that you would be coming home tomorrow evening.'_ Joyce repeated.

'_Wow that's great! '_ Buffy beamed. _'I can't wait to get home, and sleep on an actual bed!'_ Buffy jumped up and down before hugging her mother again.

Joyce chuckled at her daughter's excitement.

'_And I can't wait to meet this William of yours._' Joyce smiled mischievously. Raising an expectant eyebrow.

For a moment, Buffy stopped jumping, thinking over what Joyce had just said. After a short, silent contemplation, Buffy looked over at her mother and grinned. _'Ya mom, I can't wait for you to meet him too. Your going to love him.'_ Joyce smiled, and patted the couch beside her. _'I know I will too hunny.'_

Both Buffy and Joyce sat on the couch, talking about all that was happening and what was to come until the sound of Buffy's stomach growling interrupted the two. Buffy blushed, placing a hand over her stomach. _'Sorry. I'm a little hungry. I haven't eaten since we, Spike and I, landed here.' _Buffy rubbed her stomach again.

'_Don't worry about it baby. Hey, what do you say I make us a big "welcome home" dinner? What do you think?' Joyce asked. _

Buffy's eyes lit up. _'Yes please! Oh, and strawberries for dissert. And hot chocolate?'_

'_Of course.'_ Joyce chuckled again, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. Buffy smiled widely again, and hugged her mother to her one last time.

'_Thank You so much.'_ She whispered. _'Thank you for everything. For being so cool about all of this. Especially Spike.'_

Suddenly a loud buzzing filled the room. Buffy looked to her mom and smiled.

'That would be your alarm clock. It's time for us to walk up.'

Hugging one last time the older Summers woman started to fade.

'_I love you mom.'_

'_I love you too Buffy.'_

'_See you soon.' _Their voices chimed together.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

As soon as Joyce disappeared from her place on the couch, Buffy expected to disappear right along with her. A few minuts past, and still, nothing. _"Ok…so, now what?"_ Buffy asked, looking around her in confusion.

"_Chosen one…"_ an invisible voice whispered. Buffy jumped slightly in her seat, putting all senses on high alert. _"Who's there?"_ she asked the empty room.

"_Chosen one…"_ the eco of voices said again.

"_Listen who ever you are, this hole 'big voice, no body' thing is just not working for me, so why don't you just show your self."_ Buffy said in a frustrated tone, putting her hands on her hips.

"_Cho-"_ the voice started to speak again before Buffy cut it off.

"_Stop right there! Yes, I am the chosen one, yes I understand that you want to speak or show me something, I get it. So can we please get on with it! I have a Vampire to get back to."_ Silence greeted her when she finished.

"_Very well…Ch-"_ the voices tried to speak again when Buffy interrupted them. Again.

"_You know…"_ Buffy stated conversationally, _"since we are going to have this long discussion, why don't we have it like proper supernatural beings…"_ when nothing happened for a few seconds, Buffy continued, _"You know, facing each other?"_ again her statement was greeted by silence, but in the same amount of time it took the couch she was currently sitting on, to appear, an identical piece appeared directly across from her, along with three entities.

Too Buffy, they were strange, yet…familiar. Though they had no real gender they looked to be two men, and one woman.

The man on the left (Buffy's left) looked to be wearing ancient African ceremonial robes in different shades of orange and red, he had a kind face, with short brown hair, and looked like the spitting image of what she imagined the first watcher would look like. (Think Giles)

The woman in the middle was wearing similar robes, but hers seemed to be different shades of purple, unlike the man in orange to her right, she had deep chocolate colored skin, and her hair piled on top of her head where it was tucked under an African headdress.

The last man was harder to describe. He wore a set of black robes, the same style as the other two, but with different shades of black, with smoke gray, and silver mixed in. By far he looked the most fierce. With jet-black hair, and steel eyes, he unnerved her, yet set her at ease at the same time.

"_Chosen one."_ Said the woman in purple.

"_Slayer."_ Said the man in black.

"_Buffy."_ Said the man in Orange.

Buffy looked at them each in turn as they said addressed her.

"_Yes."_ She nodded, sensing the seriousness of the room. She kept her eyes on the man in Orange, as he addressed her.

"_Buffy, you are the Chosen One, the Slayer, and yet you have mated with a vampire. But not just any vampire, a master, non other than William the Bloody. A vampire known for killing your kind." _Buffy had been looking directly at him for most of what he had said, but when he mentioned Spike, Buffy raised her head high. She would not be made ashamed of her chosen Mate.

"…_And I speak for all of us, when I say, we are extremely proud of you."_ He said with a fatherly smile. Buffy looked up at him with astonished eyes.

"_What?"_ Buffy said; surly she had heard him wrong.

"It is not easy for most people, especially a Chosen One, to distinguish the gray from the black or white. In Mating William the Bloody, you proved that you could indeed see the gray. And in doing so, confirmed that you are the true chosen one and able to carry out your destiny."

"_What?"_ Buffy said again, in a daze.

The man in black chuckled quietly. _"It seems, Stan, that you have struck the girl speechless." _

"Indeed, a rare, yet lovely occurrence." The woman chuckled with him. Buffy blushed a deep pink.

"_Oh, ha ha ha, lets all laugh at the Slayer, cause she has no idea what's going on."_ Buffy said leaning back into the couch and crossing her arms in a pout. Again, Stan smiled at her, and she relaxed a bit.

"_Buffy, as you have probably guessed, we are The Powers That Be. The three of us help to ascertain what happens in your world. We discovered long ago that there was coming a time of change. One that would determine the out come of both your world and the next. Thus a prophecy was written. A prophecy of a Slayer and a Vampire who became one and saved the world. We decided long ago that you, the Golden Slayer and William the Bloody would be a superb match. But, before you get any ideas, no, we did not "create" your love"_ He said, actually making the brackets with his fingers. Making Buffy smile.

"_You your selves did that, we just helped a little, mostly all we have done, is send William's sire, Drusilla, a vision on the matter, and you took it from there."_ Again he smiled at her, and again, she smiled back.

Nodding, Buffy looked at all three of them. The woman in purple was next to speak.

"_Buffy. As the Chosen one, you have been gifted. When you mated with William, your essences combined, and you became one, just as any normal mated pair would do. But, being the Slayer, this means something different for you."_ Buffy rolled her eyes, everything was always different for her.

"_This may be hard to take in all at once, so I ask that you wait, and hear us _out_. Buffy, you have been chosen by us as 'The Queen', and thus, William to be your 'King'." _

Buffy was stunned, again, into silence. With eyes the size of saucers, Buffy found her voice.

"_What…what do you mean?"_ she was afraid to ask. Smiling at her fondly, the woman explained.

"_You see Buffy, for quite sometime now, your world has been hurting, and in danger. And there is more trouble to come, I'm afraid. And so, we created you. Or at lest, your situation. You see, we realized a long time ago that some of the demon world, and even some demi-gods, refused to follow our guidance. And so, they started following rules of their own. What we needed was some one who they respected, who they would follow without question. And so, the prophecy of 'The King & Queen of the Balanced Realm' was written. It has been written for over seven hundred years."_ Buffy sat there, stunned again.

"_So…what does that mean, exactly?"_ she asked.

"_It means,"_ spoke the man in black. _"That you are now the Queen of the demon world, and they shall treat you as such. Before you may leave your place in 'Hell', as you call it, you shall be endowed with the knowledge and power needed to accomplish your destiny. As well, you will have a direct line of contact with us whenever you wish. In turn, you will behave, as a Queen should, just, and fare. It is what we expect of you when dealing with your subjects, nothing but the best."_ Buffy, who had been sitting on the edge of the couch as the man in black spoke, fell backwards into the cushions when he finished.

"_Buffy? Dear? Are you alright?"_ Stan asked, looking a tad worried. Buffy blinked at the sound of his voice.

"Ya Stan, I'm fine, just, a lot to take in."

"_We understand Buffy, it would be a lot for anyone."_ Stan replied leaning forward to pat her knee. Buffy smiled again at the wise man. Sighing, Buffy stood, and the other three followed suite.

"_Thank you…for everything, I really- really don't know what to say, or quite what I'm feeling at the moment, but I can tell you that I feel a great gratitude towards you, and what you have done for me, and for Spike."_ Buffy smiled at them, and moved forward to shake each hand in turn. _"Wait a second, I just realized that I don't know either of your names."_ Buffy said, standing in front of the woman, and the other man. Smiling, the woman shook Buffy's hand.

"_My name is Ilianasa, but Iliana will suffice." _She said warmly.

"_It's a pleasure to meat you Iliana."_ Buffy replied graciously.

Turning to the man in black, Buffy shook his hand.

"_My name is Eric. Just Eric, Mistress."_ Buffy smiled fondly at him.

"_Thank you Eric, Iliana, Stan; for everything. But if you don't mind, I think I would like to go back to bed now."_ All three smiled at her and nodded, just as the couches started to disappear, Buffy yelled out.

"_Wait, stop! One more thing…Spike, Does he know about any of this?"_ she asked. Eric smiled.

"_We thought we would leave that to you. You seem to be able to handle him much better than any of us ever could."_ They all laughed at that, and without another thought, Buffy was back in the caves, on the floor, with Spike.

"Spike…"

"Muhh."

"Spike, wake up…"

"No, go back to sleep." Spike mumbled. Rapping his arms tighter around her.

_'Spike, if you don't get up right now, I am going to poor this bottle of water right on your head.'_

Almost immediately Spike's eyes opened and he looked her dead in the eye. _'You wouldn't dare.'_ Buffy couldn't help rolling her eyes.

"I don't even have any water dufus."

Spike rolled on to his back, and shrugged his shoulders. "Whatever luv, what did you need me up for that couldn't wait till later?" He asked, pulling her into his side. Buffy cuddled up, resting her head on his chest.

"Well, I just finished chatting with the PTB, and I thought you might like to know what they had to say." Buffy said nonchalantly. This got Spikes attention.

"What was that, luv?"

"I'll show you." Buffy said cryptically. Hefting herself up onto her arms, Buffy faced him while concentrating on the dream. Softly, Spike closed his eyes and concentrated on the images that she was sending him. Bit by bit it all came into focus, and soon he could hear the conversation as clearly as if he were in the room when it really happened. He discovered that he was sitting on a soft white couch beside his Mate, as he watched everything transpire. He saw, what she saw. Heard what she heard. And felt what she felt. The sensation of the vision alone was a little overwhelming, never mind the actual conversation. Spike couldn't believe that what he was seeing was true. He almost wished it weren't. But it was, and Spike could only sit in silence as the vision melted from his mind.

"Well…? What do you think?" Buffy asked with trepidation after he opened his eye and said nothing.

"About witch part luv? The part where we are now personally responsible for the entire bloody world? Or the part where we have an entire bloody destiny laid out before us…in prophecy no less!" Spike asked with heavy sarcasm, flopping down on his back.

Buffy rolled over onto her back as well, with her head still resting on his arm. "I didn't think it was that bad…" Buffy whispered, staring up at the ceiling. Spike sighed and leaned his head against hers but didn't say anything.

"Spike…I want to tell you something, and I just want you to listen." Buffy adopted a serious tone as they both looked up at the ceiling. "I've been the Slayer for almost a year now. And in that year, I've gotten used to carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders, because it's my job, my world, to protect. And I'm the only one who can do it. I mean, my second month into this Slaying gig, and I take down an entire hell dimension? Come on, that's got to mean something. Even Marrick said that most Slayers don't see in their entire life span, what I have defeated already. I know that my saying all of this just sounds like bragging. But what I'm trying to tell you is…I get it. I can completely understand if you don't like this, or even if you don't want it. Hell, if I were you I would probably hate it too. To be completely free, with no obligations, for 200-something years, and then to suddenly have that freedom taken away. I understand that it's hard. But…I had that freedom taken from me along time ago, and I'm ok with it now. This…whole new destiny thing? I'm actually a prity exited about it, and defiantly relieved. This means that I wont have to worry anymore about when my expiration date will come up, or how it will happen…if it will hurt. I was scared Spike. I never let anyone see it, but I was terrified. Every single night that I went out, I was so scared that I wasn't going to get to come home. And now I will. From now on, I can always come home." At some point during her little speech, tears had started fall from the corners of her eyes.

Even as Spike carefully listened to every word she said, he didn't move a muscle. He barely took a breath, and was careful not to move his eyes from their spot on the ceiling.

"117 pet." Spike whispered.

"What?" Buffy asked, raising her head to look at him.

"I'm 117."

"Oh." Buffy didn't know what to think as she sank back down to his side. It seamed like he was trying to avoid the subject all together. _'He doesn't want this. He doesn't want any of this! I can't ask him to make this big of a sacrifice just for me. No, it's up to him. It's Spike's decision to make.'_ Buffy thought to her self, careful to keep the wards up in her head.

"Spike, I just want you to know, this is completely up to you. Whatever you decide to do, I'll follow you. You say the word and I'll tell the Powers 'thanks, but no thanks.' If you don't want to do this, than that's okay. No matter what, I'll always be here." Buffy said clearly, snuggling closer, and pulling his arm around her. _'No mater what happens. I'll always be here.' _Buffy promised again, the words softly caressing his mind.

Softly, Spike took a deep breath, and nodded his head ever so slightly. _'Ok luv.'_

Buffy turned her head to look at him again._ 'Ok what?' _she asked, trying to hold back the fear that was slowly creeping up her stomach.

'_As you wish…my Queen.' _His voice whispered in her head. As his words were spoken, Spike idly thought that he had never felt, nor seen, such a huge surge of joy and relief as he felt run through her body, or watched dance across her face. The thought raced through his mind just before he was tackled backwards, and found himself pined to the ground by a grinning, laughing, sparkling Buffy.

'_Think you.'_ Buffy's happiness made her words nearly palpable. _'I love you Spike. Oh god I love you so much!' _She was grinning so hard that happy tears were slowly making their way down her cheeks.

'_I love you too Buffy.' _Spike said softly, gently wiping away the stray tears. "We should probably get some kip love, if we're going to learn our new position in the world, and meet your mum tomorrow night." Spike said, stretching, then wrapping his arms around her.

"Ya, your probably right." Buffy said with a yawn, as she cuddled even closer.

'_Good night love.'_

'_Good Night Spike. And thank you.'_

And with that, the two lovers curled into each other, and fell back asleep.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

The next night found Joyce in the kitchen cooking up a storm. _'I wonder if Vampires eat normal food…'_ Joyce thought as she finished tossing the salad. That day had been an absolute whorl wind of activity for Joyce. As soon as she had awoken that morning, her head had just been buzzing; there were so many questions she wanted to ask her daughter, and a thousand more she wanted to ask her new 'Son-in-Law'.

That in it's self was one thing that had been plaguing her; she knew from her conversation the night before with Whistler, that, in the demon community, Buffy and William were, for all intents and purposes, married. But that was it. That was all she knew. Was Buffy going to move out? Were she and William going to live together? Could he support her? Would he want to? Buffy was so young, what if she changed her mind later down the road? What if William changed his mind about her daughter? What kind of future would they have together? Could a vampire have children? And what about sunlight? If a vampire couldn't go out in the sun, than where did that leave Buffy? What about school? Buffy was, technically, still in high school, would she still be going? Would Spike let her? What type of husband would he be? Was he controlling? Violent? Bad tempered? Abusive in anyway? All of these questions and more continued to run through her mind as she absently put Buffy and Spike's 'Welcome Home' feast together.

'_Stop it Joyce! Buffy may be young, but she's smart. And she knows her own heart. She may be impulsive at times, but she would never rush into anything so permanent, so hastily. I just have to trust in her judgments. And trust that her decisions are the right ones.'_ Nodding her head, Joyce turned her attention back to the dinner preparations, only to realise that she was already finishing the dessert.

Back in the hellish caverns under L.A., Buffy and Spike were just waking up.

As he started drifting towards wakefulness, Spike assessed his surroundings as he had every evening since becoming a vamp. It was a hard lesion he had learned well from his time of living with Angelus.

Out of pure habit, Spike stilled his unconscious breathing, and listened for any sound that might permeate the solid cave walls. The only sounds to register were Buffy's measured breaths and heartbeat. Slowly and quietly Spike resumed his regular breathing, careful not to alert his sleeping mate to his cautionary exercise, and took a deep inhale of his surroundings. Again, the only thing to invade his senses was Buffy, and the gentle perfume that still seamed to cling to her.

'_I'm full of you luv, yet not full enough.'_ He whispered to her through their bond, unaware that Buffy was awake, and had been since he had stopped breathing.

'_Mmm…that's beautiful hunny, but I think it's supposed to be the other way around.'_ Shifting her head to look at him, while still resting her head on his chest, "Aren't I supposed to be full of you?" She asked in seaming innocence.

Spike grinned down at her, "Oh you will be, luv, you will be." He said, giving her a lecherous smile, before lifting him self up, and pulling her underneath him.

(insert hot sex sean here)

Later found both Buffy and Spike blissfully naked, except for Spike's duster, which he had draped over them.

'_Chosen One…'_ the sound of the Powers voices ringing thru her head instantly shattered her afterglow, making for a cranky Buffy.

'_What?'_ Buffy asked in a clipped tone.

'_Cho-' _

'_Finish that fraise and someone's losing something. I mean, we've been over this already, yes I'm the Chosen One, but my name is Buffy, and I would appreciate being addressed as such.'_ Buffy was so irritated at the moment that she didn't notice the authoritative tone, or the unusual sentence structure that seemed to take over her voice.

After a moment, the sound of Stan's soft caring voice entered her mind, _'Buffy, we apologize, we are so used to the formal procedure that we did not think to amend the custom.'_

Buffy sighed and ran a hand thru her hair. _'Don't worry about it Stan, I'm sorry I snapped, you just cot us at a bad time.'_

Buffy could practically feel Stan blush. _'I apologize again Buffy, we never thought…but then, you are newly mated so I believe we should have taken that into consideration. Again, our apologies.'_

Buffy smiled slightly, despite her lingering frustration. _'Don't worry about it Stan, we were just cuddling. You wouldn't have been able to interrupt if we were doing the other thing.'_ She giggled silently, as she again imagined Stan blushing.

'_Slayer.'_ Iianna's voice drifted into her mind.

'_Yes?'_ Buffy responded, resigned to the fact that she was going to be interrupted, despite her wishes.

'_Your temporary placement has ended. You and you're Mate will be returning to the surface almost immediately, and thus you will begin your destiny. However, before your departure from this realm, we shall impart certain aspects of your future.'_

'_I understand.'_ Buffy said, turning to her Mate, and explaining what would be happening.

"What exactly do they mean by 'certain aspects'?" Spike asked. Buffy asked the question for him.

'_Everything in life, even Unlife, is shaped by the choices we make. No future is set in stone. Anything can change the path you walk. All we can show you, is the future that is at hand, shaped by choices made, and untwisted.' _Ilianna explained.

Buffy and Spike took a few moments to just look at each other, communicating silently, before they nodded at each other._ 'Ok, we're ready.' _They said together.

Seconds later, visions of the certain future were passing before their eyes

Buffy and Spike watched in silence, as the séance of joy, laughter, anger, torture, hate, war, and finally peace flashed before their eyes. When the visions ended, both Buffy and Spike had tears softly falling down their cheeks.

'_And all of that is eminent? This is what's set in stone?'_ Spike asked thru Buffy.

'_The images you have just witnessed have happened already, in a separate dimension. The same events will occur in this realm, with the difference, of you. You are the changed factors. He Fallen Realm had champions, yes, but no rulers. No set guardians. We have given you sight of the future, in hopes that you would change it, and stop those events from coming to pass.'_ Ilianna's voice resonated.

Closing her eyes, Buffy whipped the tears from her face, and nodded. "Okay." She said, opening her eyes, and looking off into the distance.

Feeling her distress, Spike wrapped his arms her, pulling her into his chest. Buffy relaxed and calmed instantly, and it was like everything clicked.

'_Us.'_ Buffy thought, looking up at him.

'_What's that luv?'_ Spike asked.

Ilianna answered. _'Yes Slayer, you and your mate's path has been designed, and you are meant to walk it together. Love is the most powerful force in the universe, and the both of you have it in abundance.'_

Buffy now had her arms around Spike's waist, as he had his wrapped around her shoulders. Giving his waist a brief squeeze, Buffy lifted her eyes to his.

"I love you."

Spike stared right back, "I love you too."

Both of their eyes were shining, as they closed, and the two came together for a kiss so sweet it would have brought them to their knees, had they not been sitting already.

Pulling back far enough to rest their foreheads against each other, their combined voices rang through their heads.

'_Okay, We're ready.'_

With their eyes still closed, Buffy and Spike were vagly aware of a warm light surrounding them.

Their senses were completely tuned into each other.


	9. Chapter 9

_Chapter Nine_

'_Uhh, luv? …Where are we?'_ Spike asked when the bright light that had consumed them diminished to a soft glow.

Lifting her head to look around, Buffy took in the familiar head stones, and crypts that littered one of her favorite cemeteries.

'_The fact that I have a favorite cemetery is highly disturbing.'_ Spike chuckled, and helped them to their feet.

'_So we're in our cemetery then.'_ Spike concluded, pulling her into his side, and wrapping an arm around her shoulder.

'_You know, the fact that we "have a cemetery" is even worse. I mean, most people get a puppy, or a house. Our mating gift is a cemetery…there is just something so wrong about that.'_ Buffy pouted.

Spike chuckled. "How 'bout this luv? Once we get the whole family together, we'll through a big party."

Buffy looked up at him with stars in her eyes. "Really Spike? You would want that?"

It struck Spike, that with just a look; she could tare him to pieces, and make him feel ten feet tall. And he fell in love with her all over again.

Spike puffed out his chest, "Of course luv, your mine now. My mate. Want everyone to know that we belong to each other."

Buffy swooned, and leaned in for a gentle, loving kiss.

"Mmm…Love you, Big Bad." She said when they pulled apart.

Spike smiled, a feeling of complete peace flowing through his body. "I love you too, sweetheart."

Feeling slightly giddy from the love he felt flowing off of her in waves, Spike bent and swooped her up into his arms making her squeal.

"Spike! What are you doing?!" She yelled, her giggles mocking her serious tone.

Spike pretended to ignore her and kept on walking. Buffy shifted in his arms so that she could rest her elbow on his shoulder, and look him straight in the eye.

"Spike." She tried to get his attention. Again she tried to sound serious but her smile, and dancing eyes gave her away.

From her vantage point, Buffy could see Spike's smirk and could tell that he was fairly pleased with himself.

"Spike, I can walk you know." Buffy said, moving her hand to play with the soft white hair at the nape of his neck.

Spike shrugged his shoulders as he softly started to purr from her touch. The sound lulled Buffy like nothing else, and she closed her eyes at the sound, combined with the rocking of his steps caused her to fall asleep.

Spike felt it when she finally nodded off. Holding her now limp form closer to his chest, Spike leaned his head down slightly to bury his nose in her hair.

As he walked them towards her childhood home, Spike contemplated the changes his Unlife had taken.

The biggest one now rested peacefully in his arms.

His Mate.

Spike could hardly believe it.

Since the night he had been turned, Spike had always believed that he and his dark princess were meant to be, that they were forever. He had wanted to be her mate. And on the few occasions that he had asked her…begged her, to be his, she would look at him sadly, and say that "he was not hers to have", and walk away. He had told her that she was wrong repeatedly, had tried to prove that he was hers alone. But she would always deny it, and say that she was "saving him for the Sunshine."

He'd had no clue what she had been talking about, had told her that she was wrong, and that he only wanted her. And he had been telling the truth. He had only wanted her, for more than a hundred years he had been wholly faithful to the dark.

But he now saw that, although he had been faithful to Dru and the darkness, he had never truly been faithful to himself.

Since he awoke as a vamp and met his new family, Spike had been determined to fit in, determined that this second life that he had been given, would not be wasted like the first.

From the beginning, killing innocents didn't sit right with him, so he'd try to avoid it. Whenever possible, he'd hunt down the dregs of society; the murderers, rapists, pedophiles and thieves, and handed out a death worthy of their crime.

It wasn't until he learned of the Slayer that Spike truly learned to love the fight. He reveled in the death of his first.

He managed to convince himself that he had killed her because he was evil, and hated all things good and pure, all things that the Slayer represented. And that it had nothing at all to do with the fact that this Slayer had gone after Dru, with her stake missing her heart by inches.

Looking back on it now, Spike could see that he had never thrived in the kill like the rest of his "family".

Spike smiled ruefully when he remembered Dru's comment from a few months back. "Your not demon enough for me."

Spike chuckled, _'Well I may not be Demon enough for you, Dru.'_ Spike looked down, and gently nuzzled the side of Buffy's head with his cheek. _'But maybe can be Man enough for her.'_

The sound of Buffy's soft moan brought him out of his thoughts, and Spike looked down at the precious bundle in his arms, then looked towards the heavens. "Thanks Dru. For everything."

With the smile that seemed to be a permanent fixture now a days, Spike lowered his head slightly and placed a kiss on her forehead.

'_I love you Buffy.' _

'_I love you too Spike.'_ Came the whispered reply through her sleep muddled mind.

'_Sleep luv, still got a-ways to go.'_ He reassured her.

Murmuring, Buffy nuzzled her face into his chest and fell back asleep.

Minutes later, Spike was surprised to see the Summers residence come into view. Thru his musing, he hadn't been paying much attention to the direction his feet had been taking them, and so hadn't noticed when they had turned down her street.

"Buffy, luv?" her only response was to snuggle closer.

'_Come on luv, time to wake up.' _

She moaned slightly, _'Mmm…don't wanna. You're comfy.'_

Spike smiled, and couldn't help kissing her pouting lips. _'And you're too cute for words. Now wake up, your mum 'll be waiten for us ya?' _

That got her attention. "Hey ya, mom made dinner!" Buffy wiggled. "Come on, put me down, I'm hungry." Buffy wined.

Spike raised and eyebrow, "what happened to not wanting to get up, and me being comfy?" he asked letting her down.

Buffy tugged on his hand, pulling him towards the front door. "That was before I remembered that mom made us dinner."

She shot him a short glance when he wasn't walking fast enough, and found him pouting.

Stopping in front of the front door, Buffy pulled him to her, and wrapped her arms around his neck. "What's with the look?" she asked when he wrapped his arms firmly around her waist, and not so subtly grinding his almost always hard cock into her tummy.

Buffy moaned, and her eyes fell to half mass, as she pushed harder against him. _'Do you not find me "comfy" anymore, luv?'_ He asked with a wicked smirk. Buffy mewled softly in pleasure as she reached one hand up to tangle in his hair. "Comfy?..I would say more…stimulating, than comfy." She teased him, then pulling his head down for a strong kiss. They pulled back to let Buffy breath, and rested their foreheads together, both breathing deeply, and still holding each other tight.

"You ready for this?" Buffy asked quietly after a minute.

Spike sighed. "'Spose I half'ta be don't I, luv."

Buffy smiled and nodded, "ya, you do." With one last parting kiss, Buffy and Spike turned to face the door, and reaching a hand out, Spike knocked.

"Just a minute!" came Joyce's muffled voice from the other side of the door. And Buffy couldn't help but giggle when she heard a soft bang, followed by a muffled curse.

Seconds later, Joyce opened the door, and pounced on Buffy instantly. "Oh I'm so glad you're home!"

"Mom, you just saw me last night." Buffy chided, but still returned the embrace in full.

They detangled from each other, and Joyce just smiled and shrugged. She then turned her attention to the tall handsome man still standing in her doorway, with a look of loving indulgence on his face as he looked at her daughter. _'Now remember Joyce, he's a vampire, not a human.' 'Yes, but he's a vampire who loves your daughter.'_ Joyce argued with herself. She had decided just before they got here, that she was going to like Spike until he gave her reason to do otherwise.

Buffy turned as well, and waited for Joyce to give the invite. It was still technically her house as well, and so she was fully capable of granting him access. But she wanted her mother to do it. She wanted Spike to be fully accepted as part of her family, and her mother was their biggest hurtle. So she turned and waited for her mother's reaction. Spike, who knew what Buffy was doing by making her mother grant the invite, waited anxiously for the older Summer's reaction.

"You must be Spike." Joyce drawled, letting him sweat for a few more moments. She couldn't help the smile of amusement that stretched across her face when Spike's eyes darted to Buffy's as though asking for help. "Well what are you waiting for? Get in here and greet your new mother-in-law properly!" Joyce laughed.

Spike stood there, stunned for a moment, before what she had said sunk in. Sighing with relief, Spike stepped over the threshold and into the warm atmosphere of the Summers's home. Too Spike's surprise, as soon as he was fully inside the house, Joyce wrapped him in a motherly hug, the kind that he had yearned for so much, ever since his own mother had died. In fact, he was so nostalgic for the feeling that he carefully wrapped his own arms around Joyce, and strived hard to keep the tears from falling.

Quietly, so as not to disturb the moment, Buffy softly closed the still open door. Then walked back over to Spike and rested her hand tenderly on his back.

Feeling his mate behind him, and his new mother holding him, Spike felt as though, for the first time since his mother's death, that he truly belonged. In that moment, Spike was home.

Taking a deep breath, Spike pulled back, but before he could get to far, Joyce reached for his shoulder and gave it a little squeeze. "Welcome to the family Spike." Spike nodded. "Thank you Mrs. Summers." "Please Spike, feel free to call me Joyce, or mom even. You a part of this family now, and I want have any such formalities." Again Spike nodded, "thank you, Joyce."

Giving him a smile he had seen on Buffy many times, Joyce patted his shoulder then moved away. "Come on into the kitchen, Dinner is almost ready." She said, moving out of the room.

Turning, Spike pulled Buffy fully into his arms and rested his face in her hair, as she ran a hand lovingly over his back and the back of his head.

"Told you everything would be alright." She whispered childishly, forcing him to chuckle, and thus breaking the heavy mood.

"You did at that luv, how could I have doubted you?" he said, standing up straighter and playing with her hair.

Smiling softly, Buffy raised her head to accept his soft kisses. "I love you so much."

"I love you too, Buffy. God I love you." He said earnestly, whispering kisses down her neck, making her moan. _'Love?'_ Buffy raised her eyes back to his, _'thank you.'_

Buffy smiled. "Any time Spike."

Releasing all of the tension of the moment, Spike let out a deep laugh and pulled her closer so that she was once again tucked under his chin.

"Hey you two! Are you going to stand there all night or come eat?" Came Joyce's voice from the kitchen. "Coming mom!" Buffy called back. As one Buffy and Spike held each other's hand and walked to the kitchen.


	10. Chapter 10

After dinner Buffy and Spike had gone straight up stairs to Buffy's bed room for a nap. They hadn't realized how tiered they really were until their heads hit the pillow and they fell asleep in each other's arms.

Two Hours Later saw Buffy and Spike showered and clean, completely rejuvenated.

"Mom?" Buffy called, coming into the kitchen in a pair of pajama pants and tank top. Spike walked in directly behind her wearing just his jeans.

'_I don't think she's here, luv.' _

'_Ya, you're right, there's a note.'_

"What's it say, luv?" Buffy smiled at him, she would never get tired of hearing him call her that.

"Huh, says that she got a call from the gallery, and had to rush out real quick, she should be back sometime around ten."

"Right then, you want to watch some telly?" he said, raping his arms around her waist.

"Mmm…sure, we don't have to patrol tonight, Ooooooo, let's make this a tradition!" Spike smirked at her, "what's that luv? Watch some telly?" he asked with sarcasm.

Buffy laughed a little and smacked him on the chest. Causing Spike to chuckle again, as he pulled her into his lap on the couch.

"No, fang-face, I mean, you and I, we don't patrol on the anniversary of this night." She smiled big at him, and Spike's heart swelled with love for his Mate.

'_Ya, and spend it doing other…things...'_ she said in her head wickedly.

Spike buried his face in her hair and grinned, he didn't think that she remembered that he could hear her.

'_Heard that, luv.' _He teased.

'_I know'_. Buffy was grinning wickedly, yet blushing at the same time, though Spike couldn't see her, he could hear it in her voice. Making him growl.

After finding a show that they could both agree upon, Buffy and Spike settled into a comfortable silence, waiting for Joyce to get home.

"I'm home! Is it safe to come in?" Joyce yelled coming into the house covering her eyes.

"Hey mom." Buffy said, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, and sitting up from her position on Spike's chest as the both of them had fallen asleep on the couch to watch a movie.

"Ya, hey mum" Spike murmured as he tried to roll over on the couch, sending Buffy to the floor.

'_You're an ass.'_ His only response was a smart little grin.

Joyce gave Buffy a confused look as she picked herself up off of the ground without saying a word. Buffy saw her look and smiled.

"Come on mom, you and I need to talk."

'_What, your braken' up with mum for me luv? I'm touched, really.'_ He thought, chuckling at his own joke.

"Shut-up Spike." She said out loud, knowing that he could hear her.

"Buffy, are you feeling alright?" Joyce asked, looking at her daughter worriedly. Buffy laughed, and they sat down at the kitchen island.

'_You too, Spike, I'll probably need your help with some of this.' _

"Right here luv." He said, walking into the kitchen. He walked right over to Buffy and gave her a small kiss, before jumping up and settling himself on the counter beside her.

"Ok," Buffy said to Joyce. "I know that you have questions, so, spill, what do you want to know?" Joyce sat and took in the couple, and the easy familiarity they seemed to have with each other.

"Ok…Spike. What are your intentions towards my daughter?" Buffy blushed and averted he eyes from her mother.

'_Can you, umm…you know…explain…would you mind?' _

'_No worries pet.'_ Spike smiled fondly down at her, before turning to face Joyce.

"How much has Buffy told you about me? Or more, about us?" Spike questioned easily.

"Well… I know that you're a vampire, and that she's the Slayer, and that, the two of you are together, and have a very strong bond. But that's really it." Spike smiled and ran his fingers through Buffy's hair, and a soft smile befell her lips.

"Well, Joyce, Buffy and I, are Mated." At her blank look, Spike smiled again.

"Ya see, in the Demon world, to be mated is, essentially, marriage, but is much stronger than that. See, everyone has a predestined Mate. They're just not very easy to find. A few months back, my Sire, Drusilla, had a vision, she said, in no few words, that the Powers That Be, had sent me my Mate, but that she was in LA. So, naturally, she kicked me out. Wouldn't let me in for anything, even as the sun was rising. At the last minute, I managed to reach the airport, and made my way here."

Joyce was…well; she didn't know what to feel. Her daughter was, essentially, married at sixteen, to a vampire, no less.

But, despite all that, it was all incredibly romantic. Their story was like a soap opera, and Joyce was hooked.

"Ok…so, how exactly did you find Buffy?" she asked, resting her cheek on her hand, and leaning in.

Spike and Buffy both smiled at her.

"Well, when the plane landed, I realized that I had no clue what I was doing, or where to go. So I just started walking. I ended up walkin' past one of the main cemeteries, you know the one over on Harwood?"

Joyce nodded; she drove past that one every day on her way to work.

"Ya? Well, that's where I first saw her. She was fighten' this demon, see, and he thinks he's got her trapped, he does, but not my Slayer, no, just as he's goin' in for the kill, she kicks up, snapin' the basterd's neck. My god she was beautiful…" Spike trailed off, forgetting that he was actually in the room.

Buffy blushed at the look her mother gave her.

"Anyway…" Buffy said, reverting the subject back on topic. "Mom um…where were we?" she asked, flustered.

"Oh, you were going to tell me more about what Mating really entailed…" Joyce pried gently.

'_Wow, your mum's really good at that, eh pet?'_ Spike teased in her head.

'_You have no idea.'_ Buffy snickered.

"Well, for starters, we can talk to each other telepathically…and that's really all I know, so far…haven't really had time to, you know…test them out yet…" Buffy said, averting her eyes.

Spike ran his fingers through her hair again, soothing any worries she might have.

"Uh, ya, we can read each other's minds, transfer strength to one another, we know what the other is feeling, be it; emotional, physical, or spiritual, at any time. And that's all I know. There come different aspects of clams in time, and very with the type of demon. I personally, have never heard of a Slayer being mated to a vampire, so, I'm not completely positive, as to what to expect." Spike explained.

Joyce sat at the counter in silence, staring at her hands.

"Mom? Are…can…say something?" Buffy asked in a small voice, not knowing what to expect.

Joyce sighed, and looked up at the couple, really looked at them for the first time.

Buffy's face was a mask of worry, but just under the surface, she could see the stubbornness of a Summer's woman, and realized that, if she didn't accept this, she would, undoubtedly, lose her daughter, and she wasn't willing to risk that.

Her ignorance wasn't worth it.

Next she looked at Spike, really looked at him; He wasn't some boy. Not some random fling, or weekly crush; He was, in effect, Buffy's husband, more than that, he was her mate.

Joyce knew that she had yet to come to terms with the full weight of what that meant. And she was surprised to realize that, she was…willing, if not grateful to wait and find out.

"Umm, mom? Say something…what do you think?" Buffy asked again, her nerves would have been eating at her normally, but she could feel Spike behind her, and just knowing that he was there to support her gave her strength.

"I think…" Joyce said, at length. "That I won't be lifting a damn finger when we move." She finished with a smile.

Spike laughed, full and hearty, and Joyce found herself liking the sound.

"You're a hell of a woman, Joyce, hell of a woman." Joyce blushed, and smiled back at him.

"Move?" Buffy asked. This was news to her; Joyce had never mentioned moving before.

"Buffy listen…"Joyce reached her hand out and placed it on Buffy's forearm. She didn't bother to glance at Spike, automatically knowing that he would be included in all family discussions.

"Buffy, you know that your father and I haven't been getting along lately." Joyce rolled her eyes and wrapped her arms around herself. "Lately, ha, I wouldn't call the last four years lately." She said with a sad, almost guilty laugh.

Untangling herself from Spike's arms, Buffy rose from her seat and went to comfort her mother. "I know mom, I know." Joyce hugged her daughter and buried her face in her hair.

"Mom, listen to me; I'm not deaf or blind. I've heard you and dad fighting at all times of night, I've seen him come home and go straight to the liquor cabinet and into the den. I've known that you haven't been happy for a long time. And moving? Standing up for yourself? That's a good thing, mom. It's nothing to be ashamed or embarrassed about." Buffy said, still stroking Joyce's hair.

Giving a hiccupping laugh, and sniffling, Joyce pulled back and smiled proudly at her daughter. "Thank you Buffy. You don't know how I've been worrying about telling you since I made my decision."

Buffy nodded her head in understanding. "Listen, mom, from now on I don't want you to hesitate in coming to either Spike or myself. I need you to know that, just as we can come to you, you can come to us."

Joyce nodded her headand whipped her eyes before changing the subject. "Now, on a lighter note, how would the two of you like some hot chocolate?" Both Buffy and Spike smiled.

"Sure." They said in unison.

"Buffy? Do you want your marshmallows?" Joyce asked, just as Spike was about to speak.

"Yes please." She chirped. And gave Spike a dopey smile, as Joyce sat a bag of mini-marshmallow's down in front of her.

"There my favorite, you want some?" she asked. She looked so innocent in that moment, that Spike couldn't help himself.

Without thought, Spike swooped down and captured her lips in a searing kiss.

"Ya, I would, thanks." He whispered pulling away from her lips suddenly and snatching one from the bag, and popping it in his mouth.

"You're, mean…" she pouted, still trying to recover from his kiss.

"Maybe, but your stick with me anyway." Spike said grinning, taking another hand full of marshmallows.

Buffy smiled, and looked at Spike speculatively.

"Lucky me." She said, with no sarcasm to be found.


	11. Chapter 11

"Spike! You be careful with that box!" Joyce yelled from the front lawn as she supervised the loading of the moving truck.

Spike chuckled at the look on her face, when he pretended to drop it.

'_You're such a jerk.'_ Buffy laughed at her mate.

Joyce was just about to admonish the vampire, when someone interrupted her.

"Hello Joyce."

"Hank." She acknowledged him with a nod, when she turned to face him.

"Just loading up the truck now I see, would have thought that you would have done that this morning." Hank said waspishly.

"Yes, well, we wanted to wait for Spike to get up so that he could help…you know how it is." Joyce said, cold and vague.

"Spike?" Hank asked with confusion, and no little bit of hostility.

"Oh, that's right, you haven't met Spike yet. Well then," Joyce turned her head to see Spike still standing at the truck.

From his posture, she guessed that he had either been listening to their conversation, or having one of his own with Buffy.

"Spike! Come over here, I want you to meet someone!" Joyce knew that she didn't have to yell. It was really more for Hank's benefit, than anything else. She got the impression that if she called Spike over with a whisper, Hank may get a little suspicious.

"Ya? What can I do you for Mum?" Spike said, as he got closer.

Just as Joyce was going to introduce Spike to Hank, Spike raised his hand to quiet them.

He gave a small nod, and then turned his attention back to Joyce.

"The Slayer wants to know if you have seen her new weapons bag." He said sheepishly.

"Oh, yes, I put it in the front closet with her coat so that it she wouldn't forget it when she went out for patrol." Joyce said, smiling at him sweetly.

"Very clever of you Mum." Spike smiled back at her than rolled his eyes.

Joyce gave him a questioning look. To witch Spike just shook his head.

"Trust me, Mum. You don't want to know." Joyce shrugged, and turned back to the situation at hand.

"Spike, this is Hank, Buffy's father." Spike just stared at the man before him. His face was cold and expressionless, as he sized the man up.

"Hank, this is Spike, Buffy's…husband." It seamed to Spike that Joyce seemed to take great pleasure in announcing that to this man.

"What?!" Hank bellowed. His face turning red in fury.

"Good to meet you Mr. Summers." Spike said, his voice was cold with a bit of an edge.

Joyce just smiled up at him and patted his shoulder, as thou encouraging him and his open hostility.

Hank took half a step back when Spike stretched out his hand to shake his own. To witch Hank gave a disgusted look, and turned back to face Joyce.

"Is this some kind of joke?!" Hank yelled again.

Before, Joyce probably would have flinched at his tone. But when you live with a Slayer, her Vampire Husband, and their friends' coming over most nights…there wasn't much left to be afraid of.

"Oh, I assure you that this is no joke Hank." Joyce said with a slightly triumphant look.

'_Hey Spike?'_

'_Ya pet?'_

'_Is everything all right out there? I'm getting some weird vibes from the front lawn.'_

A soft smile appeared on Spike's face, as her voice seemed to calm his nerves.

'_Not too sure my self, luv.'_

'_Huh?'_

'_Your bleeden' father is here. And I don't really fancy the way he's talken' to your mum. Or what he's talken' about.'_

'_Really? It's that bad?'_

"_Ya, and I think I'm gonna kill 'im.'_

'_Spike, no, you cannot kill my father. At least not yet...let me listen in.' _

Spike once again schooled his feachers into an expressionless mask, as he opened himself up to her.

"…how can you be so irresponsible?! You're supposed to be her parent! Some mother you are! Can't even keep track of the teenage bitch…eeekllllk." Hank was rudely cut off, in mid sentence, just as his air supply was suddenly depleted.

"I'll tell you this now, mate. You are **Never** to speak about my girl like that again. Do you under stand me? She is a goddess among vermin. And you should die for your imprudence." Spike snarled in the man's face.

"Spike, put him down." Buffy said in a small voice, coming up behind him.

Still holding Hank by the neck with one hand. Spike turned and opened his other arm to her. Without any hesitation, Buffy covered the distance between them, and buried her face in Spike's chest. Lifting her head, Buffy just looked at him.

'_Can you please put him down now?'_ She asked. Spike gave an almost imperceptible nod, and turned his attentions back to Hank.

"You disgust me." He spat as he tossed the choking man to the ground.

Standing to his full height, Spike pulled Buffy closer to his side, and glared at the man on the ground with pure hatred.

"Explain something to me Hank." Spike said in a conversational manner.

"Exactly how could a peace of shit scum like your self, ever think yourself worthy of a woman like Joyce? You should consider yourself lucky to kiss the ground she walks on. And as for my girl? That's exactly what she is. Mine. And if you so much as think the wrong way about her again…well…let's just say, you'll be hearing from me." Releasing Buffy, Spike bent down to Hank's level, who was still puddled on the ground.

"Let's get one thing strait here, mate. I am the most dangerous being that you will ever cross paths with. And with Buffy by my side, nothing can stop me." Spike growled, showing Hank his demon visage.

"Wh…wh…what are you…?" Hanks voice quivered around the fear in his throat.

Spike smiled wickedly, as he bent closer.

"Well, isn't that obvious, mate? I'm the King." Again Spike smirked. And again Hank quivered in fear.

Dropping all emotion from his face, Spike dismissed the old man.

"Now, get out of my sight, before I decide that I really do want to finish the job I started." Hank sighed as he stumbled to his feet.

"Oh, and one more thing." Spike's voice seemed to ring out through the night.

"She saved your life tonight. If she hadn't asked me to stop, I would have snapped your body in half. You remember that. That the girl that you called a bitch saved your life. She's a true hero. Because she saved a prick like you, from a monster like me." Finished with his trade. Spike turned back to Buffy and Joyce.

"Bloody Pillock." He muttered, as Buffy walked into his arms.

"My hero" she sighed out loud, as he hugged her close.

'_My Monster…You are __**SO**__ getting a special treat tonight.'_ she thought pressing herself into him, and flashing images in his head.

'_Ohhh…luv...wait…uh...your mum…' _

'_She went inside.' _

'_Oh thank god…' _Spike moaned as he ground him self, hard into her.

'_Oh god…oh...Spike!' _Buffy moaned loudly as a flood of heat rushed between her legs.

"Right then..."Spike said, as he stepped barely an inch away from her, then proseded to pull her up over his shoulder cave man style.

"Um...Spike?"

"Humm…?" he grunted, as he headed towards the house, with her still over his shoulder.

"Where are we going?" Spike turned his head to look at her, but ended up just starring at her ass.

'Sorry about this luv…' 

'_wha...uhh!!' _Buffy grunted as Spike slapped her ass.

'_Yes…' _she whispered in his head.

'_What was that luv?' _Spike asked, stopping dead in his tracks.

'_Do it again…harder…' _Buffy whispered again, running her hands all over his back and ass.

Spike shivered when she raked her nails across his back. Curious of her request, Spike brought his attention back to her luscious ass. Then, suddenly, he brought his hand down.

Hard.

Buffy mewed, and writhed in pleasure on his shoulder.

'_Please, Spike…please, ohhhh…yes, do it again…' _Spike grinned.

'_Oh luv… you have no idea what you've gotten your self into…_' he whispered just as huskily.

'_Spike please…I need you…'_ Buffy whimpered.

"I got you baby." Spike said, raising up the stairs.

Joyce saw the two go up with out noticing her presence. Grabbing her keys, Joyce left the house. If she didn't hear or see it, it wasn't real. And she was more than happy to believe that.

Upstairs, Spike through Buffy onto the bed. And stood in front of her. Buffy's hands reached for him but he stepped back.

"You don't get to touch unless I say so. Got it?" Buffy's eyes widened in realization, and anticipation. Buffy nodded.

"Good." Piece by piece, Spike slowly started to remove his clothing. Following his actions, Buffy's hands started to unbutton her top.

"Did I say you could touch?" Spike stopped what he was doing.

Whimpering, Buffy shook her head and removed her hands. Spike smirked.

"You do what I tell you, and nothing else. Do you understand me?" Buffy nodded.

"That includes touching your self." Spike said wickedly. Buffy moaned in frustration.

Sliding off his pants, Spike stood in front of her completely naked. His long, thick cock jutting out towards her.

Buffy lay sprawled out on the bed helplessly. She wanted so badly to rub between her legs and elevate some of the ache. To crawl towards him, and taste his juicy cock as it filled her mouth.

But Spike had said that she couldn't. So she didn't.

"With both hands, gently rub the inside of your thighs." Spike instructed.

Lying back on the headboard, Buffy spread her jean clad legs and gently ran her hand up and down them, slowing as she reached her center.

"Take off your pants." He ordered gruffly.

Buffy took off her pants and thru them to the other side of the room, and moved back against the headboard.

"Beautiful…" Spike whispered. Buffy blushed.

"Take off you top and braw." Again Buffy hurriedly striped her self, and tossed her clothes to the floor.

Spike looked on from the foot of the bed slowly rubbing his cock, as Buffy moved back into position, looking, for all the world, like a wanton goddess. _'Delicious…' _he whispered in his mind.

Buffy was rubbing her legs together, trying to create friction.

"Uh-uh-uh luv." Spike chastised. "Spread 'em." He ordered, pointing to her legs. Whimpering, Buffy spread her thighs again, giving him full view of her red silk underwear.

"Good girl. Now, I want you to take your right hand, and slowly, gently, start rubbing your pussy. But don't you dare touch your clit." Spike ordered, as he continued to rub his cock. She did exactly as he asked.

"Now, take your left hand, and play with your nipples. I want them so hard it hurts." Mesmerized by his words, and watching him stroke himself, Buffy was near dizzy with lust.

"Please Spike…Please…" She begged. Spike's lust filled gaze turned to her aching pussy again.

"Ok luv. Take off your panties." Buffy practically ripped them from her body, and spread her legs again, giving Spike the perfect view of her dripping slit. Spike took a small step forward, and griped his cock tighter.

Spike raised his head to look at her face. He could see the desperate lust in her eyes.

Spike smirked. "Good girl. Get your self off for me. Let me watch…"

With vigor, Buffy's hands attacked her pussy. One hand spread her outer lips, as the other came down to work furiously on her clit. Strong quick fingers pressed, pinched, and pulled, till Buffy was moaning, and her head thrashed on the pillows.

"Look at me." Was the sudden command. Buffy looked down at the bottom of the bed.

Spike was now kneeling on the bottom, one hand to support him, the other wrapped firmly around his cock. Buffy moaned, and let her hand fall into the same rhythm as his.

Buffy mewled, as pictures started floating through her head, wicked images of what Spike could do to her. All the wile, her eyes never leaving his body.

"Yes!" Buffy begged as one particular image went by of him taking her from behind. Spike looked at her with a hooded gaze.

'_I want to fuck you.'_

Buffy had a quick inhale of breath.

'_I want to push your legs up into the air, and fuck you with my toung. To push my fingers into you,'_

Buffy did what he said.

'…_And feel you around me…want to run my toung around you clit, and give it a little nip.'_

Buffy jumped as she pinched it with her nails.

'_I want to fuck you so hard you can't walk…fuck you from behind…and smack your pert little ass till it turns red. Would you like that luv? You want me to hit you? You want me to spank you?'_

"Yes!" Buffy gasped. Moaning at the thought.

Buffy desperately wanted to feel him. Desperately needed his cool hands on her fevered body. "Please! Please! I can't…I need…I need you…" Buffy begged, moaning, keeping her eyes on him.

"I know what you need kitten…" Spike said as he crawled up the bed, up her body, slowly, stalking his pray. Buffy removed her hands from her aching libya as Spike came fully up her body. Holding him self high on his out stretched arms Spike teasingly ground his lean torso between her silken thighs.

"Please Spike…oh please…" Buffy whimpered, reaching her arms around him, and pulling him flush against her body. Spike couldn't take it anymore. Without warning he reared up and thrust himself fully inside her, unable to contain the growl that was ripped from his through. Buffy screamed and threw her head back as her body surged with pleasure.

"I love you." Buffy said in his ear with a breathy whisper.

"I love you too Buffy…Gods how I love you…" he whispered back as they started to move together.


	12. Chapter 12

"Ok, so, explain to me again, why exactly we are moving to Sunnydale?" Joyce asked as she climbed into the back seat.

"Well, it's just like I said, I got another message from Iliana, and she said that we were needed in Sunnydale right away." Buffy answered.

"Clem actually has family in Sunnyhell, and was moving back to take care of his mother." Spike added.

"Yep, and since the PTB know what their talken' about, we figured that we had better get a move on."

"Ok, so what does Clem have to do with anything?" Joyce asked patiently.

"Well." Buffy said. "You see, Sunnydale just happens to be located on a hell mouth. And the PTB reasoned with me, saying that we would be doing most, if not all of our duties on the hell mouth. As for Clem, since he was going that way anyway, we asked him to go ahead and pay for the house that Stan set aside for us." Buffy said, with a wide grin.

Joyce was confused.

"Stan? Who's Stan? Have I met him?" Joyce asked, trying her best to remember.

"Oh, Stan it one of the PTB. He's a really wonderful guy, very fatherly. I don't think that you'll meet him for a very long time yet, mom." Buffy said, all the while smiling.

"Oh…well that's nice dear. I think that I'm going to rest on the way there, you two can keep each other company, can't you?" Joyce said, even as she stretched out in the back seat, and started to dose off.

Spike turned his head to glance at Buffy as she smiled softly at her dosing mother through the mirror.

"She's amazing isn't she." Buffy said, still smiling at her now sleeping mother. Spike nodded, as he turned his head back towards the highway but said nothing.

"She's really surprised me you know? These past few weeks..." Buffy said, curling up against Spike's side, as he drove.

"How do you mean, luv?" Spike asked, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and pulling her closer to him.

"I mean, the way she's handling all of this. You don't under stand Spike," she said, looking up at him. "Things used to be…different" Buffy looked down again, hugging his arm to her chest. "**She** used to be different." She whispered. Spike leaned down, and kissed her forehead.

"It's a long drive luv, tell me the story." Buffy sighed before sliding down the seat, to rest her head in his lap, and her feet on the seat.

"Ok." She said as she started her story.

"You see, for as long as I've known him, my father has had a horrible temper. I can remember this one time, I think I was around three, or so, when he was having a temper-tantrum, and throwing, and smashing things everywhere, mom had told me to run upstairs to my room, and not to come out until she came to get me. After an hour went by, and the screaming, and crashing had stopped, I snuck out of my room, and down the stares." She paused for a moment, than continued as though lost in thought.

"I can remember stopping in the middle of the stair, and just looking at everything on the floor. And there was my mother, right in the thick of it, slowly picking up the peaces..." Buffy sighed again.

"It was my fault, you know." Spike opened his mouth to protest, but Buffy interrupted him. "I know, I know, all kids say that, and it never is. But in this case it really was. You see, it all started when I came home from school that day, with my spelling test, which I had failed again. Well, when Hank walked into the den, to talk with mom about his day, she showed him my test. Like I had said before, he got really pissed, but, for some reason, today was worse. He turned around quickly and grabbed hold of my neck, and slammed me into the key rack, knocking the wind out of me." As she said this, Buffy rubbed her neck, as though she could still feel his fingers on her throat.

"A few days before, we had gone to see my grandmother, and she had given me this necklace, that she said was one of her most prized positions, she said that it reminded her of me, and she thought that should have it. I hadn't taken it off since, even to shower. I'll always remember…" she said in a dazed off voice.

"It was a true white diamond, on a thin gold chain, it was so fine, that most of the time, you couldn't even see it. Anyway, when he slammed me against the wall, I guess my necklace caught the light, and…" she sniffled, as though holding back tears. Spike ran is fingers through her hair, but didn't say anything; he was only there to listen and drive. He knew that right now what she needed was his support and comfort. Not to offer his advice, or opinion. So he just sat there, stroking her hair, and doing his best not to shred the person who called him-self her father into tiny dripping strips of rotting carcass.  
"He…he ripped my necklace. My grandmothers necklace, from my neck." again she sniffled against Spike's leg, and snuggled further against him.

"I'm sorry luv. If it's any consolation, he'll get his. You've got my word on that one. He'll get what's coming to him." Buffy just hummed against his leg again, but otherwise, stayed silent. Spike returned his full attention to the road, while still lightly running his fingers through her hair.

'_You'll get yours mate.'_ Spike said silently to himself, careful to block his thoughts from his mate. _'I've got plans for you…you'll never touch my girl, or any other, ever again.' _If anyone had bothered to look at the man driving the 1967 Black Desoto, they would have quivered from the look in his eye.

Fifteen minutes had passed, and Spike figured that Buffy was asleep by now. So he nearly jumped three feet when she spoke suddenly.

"Spike, as King and Queen, do we get minions?" Spike turned to look at her with an odd expression; he had no clue as to where that had come from.

"Uh…ya, of course we do pet, but what in the world does that have to do with anything?" Spike felt as though Buffy had taken them on a trip, but he was blindfolded.

"Well, I was just thinking…" Buffy said, propping her head up on his lap with her arm to look at him.

"And what have you come up with now?" Spike smiled at her, brushing his knuckles across her cheek. Buffy smiled softly, as she kissed his knuckles.

"Well, mom's been so alone lately, with me becoming the Slayer, and getting mated, all in the span of a year…She really doesn't have anyone. So…I was wondering if, we could maybe have a minion or two just for mom, as a personal companion type thing, you know? At least until she can find some one?" Spike turned his head back to the road for a moment before turning back to her and answering.

"You know luv, that's not a bad idea."

"Really?" Buffy asked hopefully. Spike smiled at the road.

"Ya, as a matter of fact, I had been thinking somewhere along those lines as well." Buffy smiled as she laid her head back down.

"Thank you Spike." He looked down at her in surprise.

"What for luv?" He was not expecting what came next.

"For being so good to me, for understanding, for loving me…" she turned to look up at him with a soft expression.

"For being you, for being my King…I love you Spike." She said in a level tone. Spike didn't know what to say, in all of his years on this planet, no one had ever spoken poetry to him. And no one had ever loved him as fully as she did. And he knew that she did love him. He could feel it in his bones. He only wished that he could tell her how much he loved her back. But...with the way that his throat had clogged up, he was having a hard time expressing what exactly he wanted to say anyway.

"I…I love you too Buffy." He finally managed to force out. Buffy smiled as though she had known his internal struggle, but made no mention of it.

"Could you turn on the radio Spike?" Without a word, he did as she asked.

"What station luv?" Spike asked turning the dial.

'_7.40 am.'_ She murmured in his head, to tired to speak anymore. But when he did, Spike was shocked at what came out of the radio_; "All right all you night owls, this one goes out to The King and Queen, from Stan, Iliana, and Eric. Have a safe trip home. And now, this is for you, your majesty's…"_ Spike couldn't help the small chuckle that escaped him when Louis Armstrong's voice drifted out of the stereo;

"_You must remember this, _

_A kiss is just a kiss, _

_A sigh is just a sigh,_

_The fundamental things apply, _

_As time goes by, _

_And when two lovers woo, _

_They still say I love you, _

_On that you can rely, _

_No matter what the future brings, _

_As time goes by, _

_Moonlight, and love songs, _

_Never out of date, _

_Harts full of passion, jealousy, an hate, _

_A woman needs a man, _

_And a man must have his mate, _

_No one can deny, _

_It's still the same old story, _

_A fight for love and glory, _

_A case of do or die, _

_The world will always welcome lovers…as time goes by" _

Spike looked down to see if Buffy was awake.

'_I can't believe they did that…' _she whispered in his head. Spike smiled down at her.

'_Go to sleep love, we still have a few more hours, and you're knackered.'_ Buffy smiled softly in her sleep, as he again ran his fingers over her face, and hair.

_'I love you Spike, wake me when we get there?'  
_

'_Of course, luv. Say hi to the PTB for me, and thank them for the dedication.'  
_

'_Oh, I will…' _She was dosing off.

'_Oh, and Buffy?'  
_

'_Humm?'  
_

'_I love you too, Good Night luv.'  
_

'_Good Night Spike.'  
_

Spike smiled to him self, as he felt her finally drift off. And couldn't help him-self from flattening the "Welcome To Sunnydale" sign, just as the sun shone over the horizon.  
When nether of his girls woke up from the noise, a huge grin widened on his face.

"Home sweet home."

**Please! Please! You Must Review!**


	13. Chapter 13

**Important Notice:** I am officially holding this story ransom, I want at least 5 new reviews (and no they cannot all be by the same person) before I post the next chapter. The sooner I get these reviews, the sooner I will post the next chapter. This will be the same for all following chapters; I will post depending on the amount of reviews. Thank you.

Also, to address some questions, yes Angel will be in this story, as will every other character to appear on Buffy. If anyone has any other questions, I will be happy to answer them. Thank you.

**Chapter 13**

"Wake up luv, we're here."

"Mmm, good timing, oh, and Eric liked your little sign joke…" She said putting her hands on her hips, and giving him a look that made him feel a little sheepish.

"Ya…well…I'm still the big bad you know.." he looked up at the withering look she was giving him, and gave up.

"…sorry…" he pouted. Not being able to hold it in any longer, a wave of giggles burst from Buffy. Walking up to a still sulking Spike, Buffy lifted his chin, and gave him a deep kiss.

"Have I ever told you how adorable you are when you do that?" She said after braking away. Spike had a smug grin plastered on his face when she pulled away.

"No luv…show me again…" He said, dragging her up his chest. Buffy giggled again, throwing her arms around his neck.

"Ekh-Hem!"

'_What was that…'_ Buffy moaned in his head.

'_Nothing luv, just ignore it'_ he said, pulling her closer.

"Umm, excuse me…?" A soft timid voice said from behind them.

"Go 'way" Spike said, briefly lifting his lips from Buffy's, before diving back in.

"Umm…Hello…?"

'_Mmm, Spike…get off…I know that voice'_ Buffy laughed in his head, as she gently pushed him away. He growled before reluctantly pulling away. Smiling up at him, Buffy gently stroked his cheek

'_Save it for later Big Bad.'_ She said smiling devilishly. Growing again, Buffy turned to the person behind her.

"Hello Willow." Buffy said with certain clarity.

"It's nice to finally meet you. I've heard a lot about you." The girl was dumbfounded.  
How in the world did this stranger now her name?

"How…how do you know my name?" Willow squeaked.

Behind Buffy, Spike rolled his eyes.

'_Way to go luv'_ he said before pinching her ass. Buffy jumped in surprise. _'Low profile remember?'  
_

'_Oh right, sorry, forgot.' _She said, smiling sheepishly.

Coming back to her self, Buffy noticed that Willow still had a slightly frightened look on her face. "Oh I'm sorry Willow, I didn't mean to frighten you. Some…friends of ours told us that you would be here." Buffy said, reaching out and giving her a warm handshake.

"Oh really?" she said smiling, now very relieved that they had a reasonable explanation as to how they knew her name.

"Do they live around here?"

Buffy smiled at the question. "Sometimes."

"Oh, they move a lot?"

Spike chuckled at the question. "You could say that." 

"They're the ones who picked out this house for us." Buffy interjected.

"Wow, you must have really good friends." Willow smiled.

"We like to think so." Spike said, just as Clem came walking up the path.

"Hey Buffy, Hey Spike!" Clem said, waving.

"Hey Clem." Buffy and Spike said at the same time.

"I'm gonna' go show Clem the house k? You two can enjoy your girl talk." Spike said as Clem stopped beside them. Giving Buffy a kiss on the forehead, Spike and Clem walked in to the house, where Joyce could be heard chastising the boy's for dirtying her clean floor. Buffy smiled up at the house before turning back to Willow who had a slightly shocked look on her face. Smiling at the look, Buffy stuck her hand out to the red head.

"Sorry about all that, our house can get a little hectic." Buffy giggled.

"Oh that alright…"

"Oh my God! Still haven't introduced my self have I?" Willow shook her head.

"Well, my name is Buffy, and that hunk that just went inside, the blond one, is my husband, Spike. We just moved here from L.A. with my mother." Willow smiled bemusedly. Than realized what she had said.

"Wait, husband? You're married? But you're so young! How old are you? You are young, right? Because if your not you look great for your age, and I…"

"Willow!" Buffy yelled to stop the pore girl from babbling.

"Thank you." She said looking relieved. Buffy smiled at the girl.

"Don't worry about it, I've been known to babble with the best of them." She giggled.

"And yes, to answer your question, I am married. And yes, I am young, but I guess you could say that it was…destined." Buffy could hear Spike chuckling in her head as he listened to their conversation.

"There was never any question about Spike and I belonging together." Buffy said, as she felt a warmth, like arms, envelope her in a tight embrace.

Willow had a dreamy look on her face as she listened to Buffy.

"Spike? That's a weird name." Willow said, as she and Buffy turned to walk towards the house.

"Ya, but don't worry, that's not his real name. He just really hates his name. And…Spike just fits him a lot better." Buffy smiled, as Willow looked at her with something akin to wonder.

Willow had never met anyone like Buffy before. She was so…confident, and strong…she seemed to command respect, but not in a mean, or intimidating way. She was everything that Willow had always imagined a Queen to be. So…powerful, beautiful. And she was beautiful. She was one of the most beautiful people Willow had ever seen. Buffy seemed to glow with this inner light, that made you instantly feel safe and loved. No questions asked.

Just as they were approaching the front porch, Buffy turned to Willow, smiling as thought she had known what Willow had been thinking. Catching Willow off-guard, Buffy swept the small red head into a sisterly hug.

"Welcome home, Willow Rosenberg. I will explain everything later, for now…would you like some hot chocolate? It's Spike's favorite." Buffy smiled at Willow's confused expression.

"Uhh, sure, that would be great. Thanks."

This night had truly been surreal for Willow Rosenberg. As soon as she had stepped into the Bloody/Summers residence, her life had changed forever. As Buffy opened her front door, Willow was assaulted by the sight of her first ever Kitten-poker game. But that would not be the top of the evening.

Sitting at said poker table, was Buffy's husband Spike, to his right, the saggy skinned man from earlier she now knew as Clem. Beside him, a…well, she wasn't too sure what he was. He had green skin, and what looked like red horns on his head, and was wearing what looked like a florescent green suite from the 40's. And beside him, to Spike's left, a normal looking boy, who also looked kind of familiar. As thou he had sensed her, Spike turned and waved Buffy and Willow over. Moving gracefully, Buffy went to stand at Spike's right side with her hand on his shoulder, as the other three men stood. Buffy smiled at each before he eyes rested on the boy to Spike's left.

"Hello, I don't believe we've been properly introduced yet. It's nice to see you again Oz. How have you been? Have you been bitten yet?" Buffy asked as thou taking about the weather. Spike chuckled and shook his head as Oz reacted to Buffy's blatant questions.

Oz raised an eyebrow, before remembering himself, and kneeling on the floor in front of Buffy.

"I am grateful to meet you, my Queen. And yes. I have been bitten. Thank you your Majesty." Buffy smiled fondly down at him.

"Stand up Oz, let me look at you." Oz stood, and was not afraid to meet Buffy's eyes.

Buffy smiled. "And to think…that you will be a part of this family someday soon." Again Oz had that amazed look on his face. "I look forward to it." She continued.

"And The King and I will welcome you then." Buffy said, while placing a hand on the boy's shoulder.

"You boy's go back to your game, and I'll get you something to drink. What would everyone like?" Now that all of the formalities were out of the way, Buffy could play hostess.

"Oh, just an Apple juice for me please Buffy." Said Clem.

"I'll have a 'gin & tonic' please sweet cakes." Came Lorne's order.

"Um, just a coke is great, thanks Buffy." Said Oz, stonic as ever.

Buffy smiled at them as she went to get their orders.

"Come into the kitchen Will, I think that I should explain something's to you."

Willow seemed to drift behind Buffy, not having a clue as to what she had just seen in the living room. Turning, Buffy set the mug of hot chocolate, that her mother had maid for her before hand, on the counter in front of Willow.

"Ok, Willow? I have a lot to tell you, so just, bear with me till the end k?"

"Ok."

"Good. Willow? Vampires are real. And so are demons…" and thus Buffy explained everything to Willow, about Vampires, demons, and the forces of darkness. About her being the Slayer, and Spike being a vampire. About the two of them becoming the King and Queen of all demonic beings. All the while, making the boy's their drinks. By the end of it, Willow was slumped in her seat over the kitchen counter. And Buffy was pulling out a beer for Spike.

"Oh…and there's one more thing…" Buffy paused.

"More? How could there be any more?" Willow squeaked. Buffy sighed.

"You're a witch Willow, and a very powerful one at that. With real magical powers."

"A…A what? A witch…? But, but…I can't be a witch! I'm not powerful! I'm a weak, puny, geek! I'm not strong enough to be a witch!" Willow said, looking almost franticly around the room.

Buffy smiled. "You'll see." Willow looked hesitant. And to say that she was confused would be a sad understatement. Buffy could practically see the questions bubbling up in Willow's head.

Buffy grinned. "Ask away."

"What do you mean 'join the family'?"

"Well, it's more of a clan type deal. But you can think of it this way, Spike is the King. I am the queen. You, Xander, Oz, ext. are like prince & princesses. Where people; demons are our subjects. Get it?"

"So, we're really, like, actual royalty?"

"Yep."

The look on willow's face showed her awe, and excitement before her face clouded over.

"Buffy?"

"Ya?" Buffy worried about the look.

"Is all of this real?" she asked as though she feared it was a dream.

Buffy smiled, relieved. "Yes Willow. This and so much more, it's all real."

At Willow's look, Buffy smiled wider.

"You'll find the most amazing things when you go digging for them." She said wisely.

Willow sat back in her chair, taking it all in.

"One more question?"

"Shoot."

"Who else is in the family?"

"I can't tell you everyone. Some you know, some you don't. But we're going to be a family, through thick and thin."

Willow nodded. She liked that answer. She had never had a real family before, Xander had always been like a brother to her, but that was the closest she had ever come.

Buffy could tell that the pour girl was exhausted. Taking pity on her, Buffy stood up and helped Willow do the same.

"Why don't you go home and get some rest? This is a lot to take in all in one night. You go home, get some rest, and I'll meet you in the library at school on Monday ok? I'll be there all day, so don't worry about missing me." Buffy then wrapped her arm around Willow's shoulder.

"Come on, I'll have Oz take you home." She said before leaning closer so she could whisper in Willow's ear.

"I really think you two will hit it off. Did you see the way he was looking at you?" Buffy giggled as Willow blushed and ducked her head. She had noticed the hansom young man at the card table beside Spike.

"Really? He was looking at me?" Willow whispered back conspirativly back to Buffy.

Buffy gave a huge smile avidly nodding her head as the two girls erupted into giggles.

"What's so funny out there?!" they could hear Spike yell from the card table. Buffy rolled her eyes at Willow who snickered.

"You're hair glows in the dark!" Buffy shouted back before she and Willow again erupted into full blown laughter. They could also hear laughter coming from the card table.

'_I think that that one will warrant a spanking, don't you luv?' _through her giggles, Buffy couldn't help the blush that stained her cheeks, or the flood of moisture between her thighs.

"Just you wait Slayer! You'll get yours!" Spike yelled out loud for the benefit of everybody else. After finally catching their breath Buffy and Willow both entered the living room that the boys were in.

"I think you forgot something luv." Spike said after glancing at her.

"What?" she asked innocently, having no idea what he was talking about. Spike smirked at her. "Uh, the drinks luv."

"Oh right! Sorry, one sec!" Buffy said before scurrying into the kitchen, and returning instantly with the tray of drinks. Spike smiled at her as she set each one in front of it owner.

"Thanks luv." He said, kissing her on the cheek as she placed his beer in front of him.

"You're welcome." Buffy blushed.

Straightening, Buffy turned her attention to Oz.

"Oz, do you think you could give Willow a ride home?"

Willow blushed when he turned to look at her.

"Really Buffy, it's ok, I'll be fine. I only walked here it's not that far. I don't want to interrupt their game." Willow bushed deeper as Spike and Buffy then turned their attention to her. She was expecting a rebuttal, but was surprised when it was Spike who gave it.

"Sorry red, but walking or driving, we take care of our own, and seeing as you haven't come into your own yet, someone will be going with you." Spike's words seemed to have an air of finality about them.

Willow knew that Spike would take some getting used to. Where Buffy was open, and sweet; Spike was more strict, and demanding. She could see the play, and fun in him. But she could also see that he was the Alpha, and he made sure that everybody knew it.

Willow had a feeling that the only person that could go against him when things got serious, and live to tell about it, would be Buffy. In all honesty, Spike frightened her a little.

Not wanting to cause a scene, or seem ungracious, Willow nodded.

"Thank you." She said meekly. In all honesty, after hearing about some of the things that went bump in the night; the last thing Willow wanted to do was walk home alone.

"Good. Wolf-boy, we'll pause this wile you take little red home. Got it?" Spike said. Oz and Willow both nodded, and turned towards the door, where they could see Buffy giggling softly.

"What's so funny luv?" Spike asked as he turned to watch the couple head for the door. Buffy snickered.

"Wolf-boy and little red! Get it? The big bad wolf and little red riding hood?" at Spike's blank look, Buffy huffed.

"Oh come on! That's funny! Stan put that one together! For a Power, come on! That is so cute!" Buffy giggled again, and Spike grinned.

Willow looked completely lost, where Oz's face was completely blank. Still smiling, Buffy opened the door. "I'll explain on Monday." Buffy whispered to Willow as they passed.

Oz raised an eye brow, as thou to ask 'what about me?'

"Girl talk, you don't need to know! Now shoo" Buffy said, interpreting his look. Oz just shrugged his shoulders and led the way down the front steps; followed by Willow; after Buffy gave her a hug, and a wink, and shooed her after him.

"See you on Monday Will!"

"Bye Buffy!"


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

"So…You're a…Wolf?" Willow asked, desperate to break the silence as they walked down the street towards Willow's house.

"Ya. Werewolf." Oz said stiffly. Willow could tell that he was edgy about the subject but couldn't think of anything better to talk about.

"So…your whole family are werewolves? Or just you?" Willow forged ahead.

"Just my cousin and me so far." Oz said. He seamed to relax as they kept walking.

"How does that work?" she asked when he seemed to open up, and relax a little more.

"Turns out my aunt had an affaire, and had my cousin because of it." He eased into his story. He had never opened up to anyone like this before. _'Maybe it's because Buffy and Spike trust her so much or because she's going to be apart of my pack…but I feel like can trust her, like I can open up to her, and she would never judge me…_' Oz found the thought comforting and confusing, all at the same time.

"I was baby-sitting one night, and he bit me. Let me tell ya, for a kid with one tooth, he has one hell of a grip." He chuckled.

Willow smiled and nodded at what he was telling her. He seemed to be a lot more open once you got him alone. Plus, she was loving the sound of his voice.

"So what are you?" Oz asked, breaking her out of her trance.

"Pardon?" Willow had to shake her head to clear the fog.

"What are you? I can't smell any demon in you, so what are you?" He asked. He didn't mean to pry, but he was just as curious as about her, as she was about him.

Willow blushed. "I'm a witch."

Oz was slightly taken aback by that. "Really?"

Willow blushed a deeper shade of red at his surprised tone.

"Well that's what Buffy said. I've never done magic. Never even thought much about it. It never occurred to me that there might be something else out there."

"Makes sense." Oz nodded. "I never had a clue before I got bit." He offered. "But if Buffy says something's true, than it's true. Don't bother questioning her."

"So, you understand this whole King & Queen thing?" Willow questioned with hesitation. Oz nodded.

"As soon as your power source has awakened, you'll understand too. For a demon, being accepted by the King & Queen is like…being a favored pet. You get better than every body else. But to not be accepted is like being thrown out side, cold and alone. You do not appose them. Especially the Queen..."

"Why?" Willow interrupted. Oz smiled at her.

"Simple. The Queen controls everything, and everyone."

"But the King…"

Oz gave her a small grin, and chuckled. "I have never seen two people as deeply in love, as Buffy and Spike. If Buffy asked Spike to stop killing, he would. If she asked him to go for a walk in the sun, he would. Even if he still had a sun allergy. He would do anything for Buffy, (And so would everyone else) just as she would for him. Technically, Spike is the King, and so he is the head of the family. But Buffy is like the mother of all of us. And we all know who really runs the family." Oz and Willow laughed together before Oz became serious once more.

"Willow, I have to explain something to you…" they both stopped and looked at each other, Willow, with a slight hesitation in her eyes.

"Buffy and Spike; they are, in essence, your parents, but they are also our masters. You are their friend, their daughter…but when push comes to shove, you don't disobey them. They love you, and will do anything for you, but, if you go against a direct order, you will regret it. Their word is law. And that's just the way it is. You'll understand when you get your power."

Willow became slightly anxious as they started walking again. She didn't like the idea of having to watch what she said and did around her new family. That's what she had now, and that's what she was trying to get away from. She needed a change of subject desperately.

"So…Buffy and Spike are the King and Queen of all thing demon and supernatural?"

"Ya."

"Wow, so they can like…control everything?"

"No. Not everything…" Willow looked at him, confused. "Ok, it's like this. There are good and bad demons, just as there are good and bad people. If everyone listened to Buffy and Spike, then we wouldn't need them. That's why Buffy and Spike were chosen as the King and Queen. There must be a light and dark to preserve the balance. Spike, the Master Vampire, the ultimate Dark. Buffy, the Slayer, the ultimate light. The both of them together create and keep the balance." Willow nodded in understanding.

"When do you think I'll get my powers?" she asked.

Oz shrugged. "Whenever Buffy unlocks them for you."

"She knows everything." Willow said as more of a statement than a question.

Oz nodded again. "It's been said that the Queen is gifted with a direct connection to the Powers That Be."

A comfortable silence descended on the pair as they walked.

"Do…what do you know about 'being part of the family'?" Willow asked, again not liking the silence.

Oz smiled. He noticed that long periods of silence bugged her.

"Becoming a part of the Royal family is the greatest honor a demon could ever hope for." Oz said simply.

Willow sighed. "Yes, but what does that mean?" she asked again. Oz smiled, she was cute when she got frustrated, and ruffled.

"Ultimate privilege, almost ultimate power. You are part of the royal family, a son or daughter of the King & Queen of all things magical and demonic. The only people more powerful that you, are the King & Queen. But, just as they give you power, they can just as easily take it away. Being part of the Royal family is exactly what it sounds like. You become a family. They love you unconditionally, are always there for you. You are never alone in the world. It's the best thing that could ever happen to you, next to having a Mate."

"Mate…As in friend?"

"Mate as in partner. Wife or husband. Only it's stronger than just a vow made, and papers signed. It's blood, and a promise. And the only way to break it is if one of the partners dies." Oz 's voice seemed to grow stronger, more sure of it's self.

He was saying this from memory. And he wanted it all very badly. To not be alone in the world, to truly be accepted, wanted, loved, and understood.

In a sudden act of bravery, Willow grabbed Oz's hand as they turned the last corner to her street.

Both Oz and Willow felt the electric shock go through their hand and into the other, seeming to spark something hidden deep inside of them.

Willow blushed deep red when he lifted his head to look at her.

Losing her nerve, Willow started to let go, but was surprised when he griped her hand more firmly in his.

Blushing, Willow dipped her head, hiding her silly smile.

"So… this is on hold?" Buffy asked innocently.

Spike raised an eye brow at her in question. "Uh, ya luv, why? You want to sit in a round?" he asked.

Buffy smiled smartly at him. "No that's ok…I was just thinking…" Buffy said coyly.

"Ya?"

Buffy grinned. "That maybe you three strapping demons could help unload the moving truck for Mom, and I." Buffy laughed when both Spike and Lorne moaned their reluctance.

"But luv…" Spike wined as he put down the deck of cards. Clem had already stood and was at the door.

"Hey now sweet cakes, I'm not really one for manual labor…you that…" Lorne stated as he to stood up. Buffy laughed at the two of them.

"Thank you." Buffy sing-songed, as they went out the door to start bringing in boxes.

"Well, this is it." Willow said as they reached her front porch, and faced each other.

"Cool." Oz said, looking at the house, than back at her.

"So, umm…when…where…" Willow trailed off, unsure of how to ask her question.

Oz seemed to read her mind. "I'll see you on Monday, in the library with Buffy." Oz smiled at Willow's surprised look.

"You go to Sunnydale?" she asked. Oz nodded.

"Ya." Again Willow looked confused.

"But…I've never see you around before!" Oz shrugged and smiled.

"I blend in." He said simply.

"Goodnight Willow." Oz said, taking a step back, and down her porch.

"Night Oz." Willow said shyly, blushing as she turned to unlock her door, and go in side. She smiled wider still as she watched him walk down her porch, and back to Buffy's house.

This had to have been the weirdest day of her entire life.

But, oh, it was such a good weird. Willow giggled as she shut the door. Causing Oz to smile as he made his way back.

**I really must thank everyone who reviewed. Thanks to your encouragement, I have finally begun to push this story forward, faster, and I am just finishing up chapter 17, and I have to say, it's already one of my favorite chapters to date.**

**Also, I was wondering if anyone had a good idea as to who I should pair Tara up with. If no one has any ideas, I can just create a character, but I was really hopping to keep this as close to cannon as possible. Thank you.**

**Thanks again**


	15. Chapter 15

**To all of you who have been kind enough to review, a giant thank you, this one's for you. To those of you who didn't, what the hell? It only takes a minute! Get your asses in gear! Review! Now, you really don't deserve this. But here it is anyway.**

**Ok, this is a really long chapter. Hope you enjoy it. Welcome to Sunnyhell High.**

**Chapter 15**

"Well, that's the last of them." Spike said as he sat down the last box. Joyce smiled at him,

"Thank you Spike, you've been a great help today." Spike smiled back shyly, and would have blushed if he had been able to.

"No sweat mum, happy to help." Joyce nodded, and smiled at him again, before heading out of the front hall, and towards the kitchen.

"Well, if that's not just the cutest thing I have ever seen…" Buffy said coming down the stairs to stand in front of her mate.

"What's that luv?"

"You, blushing 'cause mom loves you."

"Are you mocking me, luv?" Spike asked wrapping his arms around her waist.

Buffy smiled lovingly at him. "Now, would ever do a thing like that?" she asked in mock innocence.

Spike laughed before bending down to capture her lips in a fiery kiss.

'_Yes. Yes you would.'_

"Good morning My Queen." Oz greeted Buffy as she stepped out of the car.

"Good morning Oz. And it's Buffy to you." Buffy smiled. She seemed about to say something else when a loud, "Eck-hem!" interrupted her.

Rolled her eyes at Oz, Buffy turned back towards the car and, leaning in, proceeded to kiss Spike goodbye, before giggling at him, and shutting the car door behind her.

"So, I suppose you're here to 'escort' me to the library?" Buffy asked overtly, raising an eyebrow. Oz smiled indiscernibly again.

"I think his words were along the lines of; _'take your eyes off of her for even a second, and it will be years before your teeth even start to grow back, even with the nifty wolf powers'_."

Buffy laughed and patted his shoulder.

"Don't worry about him Oz. He just gets over protective. Spikes like that with everyone he cares about." Oz raised his eyebrow and Buffy giggled again.

"Ok, so, maybe he's worse with me. But really, he loves you all. And anyway, I would rather that you kept your eyes on Willow, she's new to our world." Oz's expression remained stonic, but he nodded his head to show his understanding.

As Buffy and Oz entered the front doors of Sunnydale High, Oz was on high alert.

Walking down the hall with Oz at her left, Buffy took notice of the other students, and was surprised at all of the demons she felt around her.

Buffy smiled, and bowed her head in recognition as she passed a small group of Klogeosh demons that had spotted, and bowed to her.

As they walked, Buffy turned a corner that, Oz realized, did not lead to the library.

"Um, Buffy? Where are we going? The library is back that way." He said, leaning his head back the way they came.

"I know," Buffy said. "I changed my mind. I thought that we would go pick up Will, then head for the library." Oz merely shrugged his shoulders as he walked by her side down the deserted hall way.

"Umm, Buffy? Who's that?" As the pair reached Willow's locker, Buffy and Oz could see two young men chatting up the small redhead. Buffy smiled secretively as she felt the jealousy, fear, and anger rolling off of the wolf.

"That's Xander and Jesse." She said before leaning closer, and lowering her voice. "But don't worry, they're more like brothers than friends. And definitely not even in consideration for mate material."

Buffy smiled again as she straightened back up, and felt his anger and fear fade, while some of his jealousy remained. They both watched as Jesse proceeded to run past them without slowing down.

"Oh, and Buffy?" Oz stopped her again as they started to walk down the hall. She turned to look at him expectantly. "Spike also wanted me to remind you not to tell a person all about them self, before they tell you their name." Buffy laughed and blushed, before nodding.

"We'll do our best." Buffy giggled.

"Hey Will!" Xander yelled as he and Jesse reached her locker.

"Hey Xander! Hey Jesse!" Willow blushed.

Since the first time she had laid eyes on Xander Harris, Willow had loved him. She had always dreamt that, if he would kiss her, just once, she could die happy.

Willow knew that Xander would never go for her. They were best friends, and he thought of her as a sister.

But today was different. For the first time ever, Willow didn't get the little butterflies in her stomach when she saw him. She couldn't remember ever not having them.

"Hey Willow." Jesse said amicably.

"Hey Xand! You hear about the new girl?" Jesse turned to Xander.

"I saw." Xander nodded.

"Major hottie!" Jesse agreed.

"So who is she? What do you know?" Xander asked, looking for the low-down on his newest crush.

"New girl!" Jesse said as thou he had sprouted three heads.

"Well that's a whole lot of nothing." Xander shrugged exasperatedly.

"She moved here from LA." Willow offered, not sure how much to say in front of Jesse. She knew that Xander was ok, but she had always been a little anxious around Jesse.

"Really? What else do you know?" Jesse asked.

"Ya, and how do you know it?" Xander asked suspicious

"I met her and…her mom last night." Willow had wanted to tell them about Spike, but for some reason it just didn't feel right.

"Really? What's she like?" Xander dug.

"And is she single?" Jesse dug deeper.

"She's really great! Really Xand, I think you'll really like her!" Willow said excitedly.

"And the part about her being single?" Jesse prodded.

"Sorry, but she is **definitely** not single. In fact…she won't be on the market for a long, long, time. Probably never in fact." Willow rambled.

"What, is she like married or something?" Jesse chuckled, missing Willow's blush.

"Jesse, don't you have to meet with your science partner this morning?" Willow asked deflecting his question.

"Oh crap! Bye guys!" He yelled, running off.

Looking down the hall, Willow saw Buffy and Oz coming, and watched as Buffy bent down to speak quietly in Oz's ear, making him blush.

'_I wonder what she said.'_ Willow though. _'God Oz looks so good!'_ She squealed in her head. And there were the butterflies! Bigger and stronger than ever.

As Buffy and Oz got closer to her position, Willow cast frantic looks at Xander, trying to think of some reason for him to leave.

Buffy, seeing the cornered look on the poor girl's face, giggled silently, and placed a finger to her lips, signaling for Willow to be quiet.

Silently, Buffy came to stand directly behind Xander, and waited as Oz moved to stand directly beside Willow.

Willow, ignoring Xander, turned her head to smile shyly at Oz.

"Hi." She said.

"Hey." He blushed back.

And that was it. Grabbing her hand, Oz smiled at Willow.

"I'm gonna ask you to go out with me tomorrow night, but I'm kinda nervous about it…it's interesting…"

"Oh! Well, if it helps at all, I'm gonna say yes!"

"Ya, it, it helps, it creates a, a comfort zone…do you want to go out with me tomorrow night?" he asked, holding her hand just that much tighter.

"Ya! I...I mean, ya. That would be great." Willow agreed, smiling widely as she did a snoopy dance in her head. Together Oz and Willow stood in front of a confused Xander, and a proud, still hiding, Buffy.

"Uhh…ok…who are you?" Xander asked bluntly, not bothering to hide his shock. Willow was just about to reprimand him for his lack of manners when Buffy spoke up behind him.

"Now is that any way to talk to your best friend's boyfriend?" Startled, Xander gave a loud girlish squeal as he jumped and turned to face her.

Buffy was clutching her sides, Willow was using Oz for support, and even Oz chuckled. All of them laughed, but non-so loud as Spike, who had been watching, and listening to them ever since they had entered the school.

As all three of them, quieted, Spike was still nearly giggling. _'Oh luv, that was brilliant!'_ he chuckled, _'that's our future son? Oh, you have got to be kidding me luv.'_ It took Buffy a few more minutes to regain her composure. When she did it was to find a smitten wolf & witch. And a very confused Xander, whose head seemed to be whipping back and forth between, Willow & Oz, and Buffy.

"Hi, I'm Buffy." Buffy smiled and stuck out her hand to the stunned teenager.

"Xander." He mumbled, wide eyed, and shaking her hand. She was one of the most beautiful women that he had ever seen. Xander couldn't believe that this goddess was even speaking to him, let alone touching him. In the back of his mind, Xander acknowledged a strong senesce of familiarity, warmth, and love, which he had never felt from anyone before.

"Xander Harris I kn-" Buffy was about to continue when Spike's voice sounding in her head interrupted her.

'_Luv? What did we talk about?'_ Spike's voice was patient, but she could practically see the amused smile on his face.

Glancing over at Willow and Oz, Buffy saw that they had noticed her almost slip as well, if their quiet amusement was anything to go by.

'_You guys suck.'_ Buffy pouted. Spike smirked and gave her a quick mental kiss on her pouted lips. Buffy couldn't help the glow that seemed to infuse her skin at his attentions.

"I know, Willow told me all about you." Buffy beamed at the boy in front of her.

"I love you." Xander never registered his words before he said them, and as soon as they were out of his mouth, he didn't regret them. More than that, it felt like the right thing to say.


	16. Chapter 16

Buffy smiled warmly back at the boy who was destined to become a Champion. Buffy ignored the looks of astonishment and confusion that she could feel coming off of Oz and Willow.

"I love you too Xander." Buffy said, enveloping him in a large hug. Even though Xander was a good foot and a half taller than the petit blond, he seemed to shrink, until he had his arms wrapped around Buffy's waist, and his face buried in her shoulder.

Only Buffy, Xander, and Spike, could feel the hot moisture of Xander's tears. "I dreamt about you. I dreamt you would come for me. Both of you. Dreamt we would be a family." Xander cried into Buffy's hair, clinging to her like a lost child who's just found his mother at last.

"Shh…it's ok now, everything's going to be ok." Buffy whispered softly in his ear, stroking his head, and gently rocking him back and forth. "You have a family now; we've found you. And we're not going anywhere. Don't worry Xander, we're here, we'll always be here." Buffy gently comforted him, effortlessly slipping into the role of mother. They stayed that way until Xander's sobs were nothing more than hiccups.

_'Is he ok luv?' _Spike asked with a sad, concerned voice.

"Xander?" Buffy's voice sounded like soft chimes in the silence of the Hall way that had followed the scene.

"Ya?" Xander raised his tiered blood shot eyes from her shoulder.

"Spike wanted to know if you were ok."

Xander's eyes widened with joy and awe. "Spike? Is that his name?"

Buffy smiled lovingly at him, stroking his hair again. "Ya, your dad's name is William, but he prefers Spike. And he wants to know if you're ok."

Xander's eyes started to well up with tears again. "Ya." He managed to choke around the lump in his throat. "Ya, I'm ok."

Smiling, Buffy helped him to straighten up, as she gently wiped the remaining tears from his face. "Good. We have some business that we need to take care of in the library. And after that, Oz, and Willow were going to show me around the school. Do you want to come with or would you rather go to class?" And just like that, Xander seemed to do a complete 360, and come back to himself.

"Ya, 'cause that's what I care about, Math, History and Science." Xander grinned. Giggling, Buffy turned back to face Oz and Willow. And, reading the confusion and astonishment they felt after seeing what had just occurred, Buffy decided to take pity on them. "Ok guys, what do you say we head to the library, and I explain what's going on?" She smiled brightly.

"Ok" said Oz, wrapping an arm around his, now, girlfriend's shoulder.

"Yes please." Willow squeaked. If this was what her life was going to be like from now on…well, it would never be boring.

"Lead the way mommy dearest." Xander grinned, as Buffy rolled her eyes at him.

"Xander! Call me Buffy! I don't look that old!" Everyone chuckled, and Buffy even heard Spike laughing in her head. _'What, you think I look old?'_ Xander had fallen into step at her right, with Willow and Oz in her left. All three of them stopped when Buffy suddenly pulled up short.

Willow and Oz watched in amusement as Buffy crossed her arms, and taped her foot like she was waiting for an answer.

"Uh…what is she doing?" Xander whispered over to Willow.

"Talking to Spike. Looks like he's in trouble." Willow snickered.

"Again." Oz added with a quirk of his lips.

Xander wrinkled his forehead, as he looked back over, in time to see Buffy put her fists on her hips. "Does this happen often?" he asked, smiling, when Buffy through up her hands in exasperation.

"Oh, ya." Willow and Oz said at the same time. Willow blushed and smiled at Oz, as he smiled back. Turning her attention back to Buffy, Willows face split into a huge grin. "Oooh! I love this part! Watch her face!" Xander and Oz turned back to look at Buffy. As if on cue, Buffy's shoulders nearly slumped, and her stance relaxed. Shyly playing with her hands in front of her, Buffy lowered her head and bit her lip, trying to hide her smile.

Willow giggled, "Yep, he wins every time. She is such a push over when it comes to him." Willow smiled wide.

"Not over yet Will…" Oz said smiling. "Wait for it…" They all watched as Buffy's face turned bright red, and she giggled softly into her hands. "There it is. It's not over till he makes her blush." Oz smiled, as Xander and Willow laughed.

"What's so funny?" Buffy had snuck up on them, without anyone noticing. Both Xander and Willow visibly jumped, where Oz's eyes merely widened. How she had managed to sneak up on them when they were looking right at her was a very good question. Buffy smiled again, "So, to the library?" Buffy asked, her eyes dancing. They grinned at her. "

"To the library!" Xander shouted with a finger in the air. Laughing, they took up their stride again, down the hall.

Back at home, Spike was laying on the couch, in front of the TV. He was bored out of his skull. It was a beautiful sunny day, of which he was now immune, but he just didn't feel like going out. What he wanted to do was be with Buffy. He could hear and see everything that was going on, but it just wasn't the same. This was the first time that they had really been apart for any length of time.

_'You're moping.'_ He heard his angels voice in his head. God he loved that voice.

_'I am not. I'm thinking.' _

_'Oh, so that's what brooding looks like.' _

Spike grinned. God, he loved her wit.

_'It just so happens that my brain has a bigger purpose than to fill my head with dead wait.' _Spike chirped back.

_'Ooh, someone's feisty. Ok Big Bad, so tell me, what are you thinking so hard about?' _

_'__Tryen__' to figure out what the bloody hell I'm going to do today.__ I want to be out there with you. __Meeten__' all the kiddies. But instead I'm stuck inside this house, with absolutely __nuthen__ to do. And…and I'm board!' _Spike finished with a huff, crossing his arms. Spike knew that he was being childish, but hell if he cared, he was so bloody board. And it was Buffy, she would love him regardless.

_'Now you're whining, and acting like a child.' _Buffy accused laughingly.

_'Ya, well, if you were in my position, you would be __whinen__' too.'_ Spike insisted.

_'No I wouldn't.'_ Buffy said flippantly.

_'How's that?_'

_'I would just make you come and un-board me.'_ Buffy giggled.

Spike smiled at her obvious happiness._'Ya?__That mean__ you're __gonna__ cum for me? _Spike asked, his voice heavy with innuendo. He could feel her blushing, and chuckled to himself.

_'I always come for you Spike.' _Her reply both surprised and excited him.

_'Where are you now luv?' _Spike asked out of the blue.

_'In the library waiting to meet Giles.'_

_'Who's there with you?' _

_'Oz, Willow and Xander.__ Why?' _

_'Because, luv. I need you sitting for this.' _

_'For __wh-ahh__!'_

Spike sent memories and images of them in different positions together, while he started licking, and kissing her in his mind. Conjuring up the image of Buffy sitting in the library, in his mind, he moved with predatory grace towards her. When he reached her chair, instead of picking her up and ravaging her like she thought he would, he slowly kneeled in front of her._ 'My God you're gorgeous.' _Spike said breathlessly, as he slowly ran his hands over her thighs.

_'Spike…oh Spike…' _Buffy moaned, as Spike eased her legs open, revealing her hot center._ 'Please Spike…please…' _Buffy begged him to touch her. To stop teasing her.

_'Please what, kitten?' _Spike teased, as he ran his fingers across her wet curls, adding more pressure every time he hit her clit.

_'Make me cum for you Spike. Make me scream for you.' _Buffy looked straight into his eyes as she said it.Making him shiver in anticipation. Buffy gasped aloud and bucked against his face when he licked up her slit. _'Oh my God!'_

_'__Mmm__,'_ he rumbled into her, _'There's my girl…'_

_'Oh my God…oh God…Spike!'_Spike couldn't help but grin as he teased her, nibbling at her outer folds. His index and middle fingers, eager to be included, slipped inside her pussy, and they both moaned as she contracted around him. _'Fuck, baby…'_

_'Oh, Spike…yes…yes!'_

_'__So bloody tight.'_

_'__Unh…' _She squeezed him again, her eyes falling shut as he wrapped his lips around her clit and suckled her into that magical mouth of his. _'You…__your…__Oh! Yes!'_

Spike couldn't help the chuckle that came from him as his tongue traced her wet flesh with a hum of approval. Buffy moaned loudly as he suckled her labia between his teeth. _'I…Spike!'_

_'I love you…love you…'_ He nibbled lightly at her clit, his fingers thrusting steadily within her. _'God, you taste like ambrosia.'_

_'__Mhmm__…'_ He lapped another long path up her slit, his eyes rolling back. _'So good.'_

_'__Ohhh__'_

_'Mine,'_ he growled, that miraculous organ inside his mouth flicking her clit rapidly.

_'Yes! __Always!'_

_'__Mhmmm__…My Queen…My Buffy'_His fingers abandoned her then, his tongue plunging inside her before she could hiss in complaint. He swallowed her whole and her body went up in flames. He slipped out of her pussy, licking at her twice and nipped at her clit again. '_Say you're mine, baby.'_

_'__Yours Spike… Always Yours… Love you…'_

His fingers were thrusting within her once more, harder this time. The pleasure was so sweet she thought she might fall apart for the feel of it all. _'Yes! Oh, yes!'__'God I love you…Love it when you scream for me…'_

_'__Ohhhh__…oh my God, Spike, oh my God._'

He blew a stream of cool air against her sensitive skin, spreading her pussy lips wide. Buffy cried out and arched off the chair, thrusting herself wantonly against his face.

_'Just you wait luv, Just you wait till we get home…'_ he promised, bathing her with his sensuous tongue in several seemingly endless licks. _'I'm __gonna__ make you feel so good, you won't be able to walk tomorrow._' He eventually zeroed his attention on her clit again, manipulating her, stimulating her, torturing her until he finally tugged the tiny bundle into his mouth once more.

_'Spike!'_

He released her and rubbed his face against her wet flesh. _'I want you so bloody badly,'_ he murmured, running his hand over her pussy, his thumb settling over her sensitive pearl and stroking her deferentially as his tongue found home inside her again.

There were no words for the sensations he unleashed. He was licking her from the inside out, whispering sweet nothings against her skin, telling her how good she tasted, how much he loved her. He pinched her clit. Buffy was close. She was so close… all she needed was that last little push over the edge. He knew it. Spike knew exactly what she needed. With stunning speed, Spike slid his fangs into her tanned and supple flesh. Buffy arched into him, a small sob of pleasure bursting through her lips, as he lapped from her eagerly, massaging her clit furiously.

_'Oh…God…yes…SPIKE!' _Buffy came with a scream, her fingers digging into Spike's shoulders, holding him in place, as he continued to gently lap at her as she came down.

_'I love you Buffy.'_ Spike said, placing a kiss just below her abdomen, and looking up at her. _'I love you so much.'_ Buffy smiled at him with all of the love in her body. Gently cupping his cheek, and caressing his cheekbone with her thumb, Buffy looked directly into his eyes.

_'I have never, nor will I ever, Love anyone as much as I love you. You are my Mate, and my King, but you are my heart, my love, first and foremost. Love you Spike.' _By the end of her declaration, both Buffy and Spike had tears in their eyes.Smiling, Buffy shook the tears from her face, and pulled him up for a kiss.

_'Come spend the day with us.' _Buffy said when they broke apart.

_'What?' _

_'Come spend the day with us, meet __Xander,__ and Giles, get to know Oz and Willow better. Come spend the day with us.' _

_'What about your __classes__ luv?' Spike asked, warming up to the idea._

_'I don't know, I'll skip.'__ She suggested. _

_'No dice luv. Tell you what, I'll come meet the new Watcher with you, and when it's time for you lot to head off to your studies, I'll bugger off on home. See if I can dig anything up through the grape vine. How's that sound?' _

_'It sounds ok I guess. What are you looking for? From the grape vine, I mean.'_

_'Oh you know me love__a__lways got to be one step ahead, that's all.' _Buffy nodded, indicating that she thought that would be a good idea.

_'So, do you think I should walk, or bring the car around?' _Spike asked, wrapping his arms around her waist as he pulled her up from her seat.

_'I get the feeling that you should maybe bring the car around. For some reason, I think we'll __be needing__ it.' _Spike just shrugged.

_'What__ever you say pet.'_

_'Ok, now go.' _Buffy reluctantly pulled herself from his arms after laying a soft lingering kiss on his lips._ 'The sooner you go, the sooner you get here.' _Buffy once again sat herself down in the chair that she have vacated, and the world around them slowly turned black.

Back on the couch at home, Spike awoke with a start. "Not to worries luv. I'm on my way." Spike said to the room, quickly jumping to his feet, and heading out the door, into the day.

Back in the library, the first thing Buffy was aware of upon coming too, was the distinct pain in her neck and back. "Oww." Buffy wined, stretching as she stood from the chair. The next thing she noticed, was that she was alone in the library.

"Umm…hello?" Buffy asked the deserted room. The quiet opening of the library doors answered her. "Hey Oz. Where is everyone?"

"Hey Buffy. Xander and Willow decided to take Mr. Giles for a walk around the campus." Oz said in his usual stonic manor, but Buffy couldn't help but notice the light blush that infused his face.

Buffy was confused.

"Wait. I'm confused, why would they ta…oh my God, I was talking in my sleep!" Buffy realized why Oz was almost beet red, and Willow and Xander were non-existent. Buffy looked to Oz, begging him with her eyes to tell her that it wasn't true. When Oz wouldn't meet her eyes, Buffy buried her head in her hands.

"Oh my God!"

"Don't worry, I got Willow and Xander to leave the room with Giles before they heard anything." Oz said, trying to calm down the embarrassed Blond.

Oz felt odd trying to comfort one of the most powerful beings in existence, _'But, her and Spike, their family first,_ _and Higher Beings second.' _

"Oh, thank God. I don't know how I would have faced them. Thank you so much Oz." Buffy beamed at Oz, who merely shrugged, "No problem…Mom."

Buffy grinned at that, "Ok, so I probably deserved that." Again, Oz shrugged.

"So when will Xander and Willow get back with our Mr. Giles?" Buffy asked, moving back to sit on the table behind her. Oz looked at the watch on his wrist, and glanced at the door behind him.

"They shouldn't be too much longer." Oz said, settling himself into a chair on one side of her.

"Good, Spike should be here in a few minutes."

"Cool." Oz nodded.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 16

"And this…is the library, see, full circle, just like I said." Xander announced loudly and large arm movements.

"Yes, well, thank you for that rather…"

"Informative?"

"Helpful?"

"Colorful, tour." Giles said, removing his glasses, and rubbing the bridge of his nose.

Seeing Willow and Xander, Buffy offered a warm smile, and gestured for the other two to take a seat at the table she had been sitting on earlier. Seeing Giles coming towards her, Buffy rose from the desk, to meet the English man. 

"Mr. Giles?" Buffy asked, offering her hand.

"Yes?" Giles asked, shaking her hand.

"Rupert "Ripper" Giles?" Buffy asked. She knew full well that it was him, but wanted to see how he would react to that knowledge that she knew who he was.

Giles bristled at the sound of his old Monique. 

"Yes. How can I help you?" he asked stiffly.

"You can sit. And you can listen." She stated authoritivly before turning to Oz. 

"Spike just walked in, could you please escort him here?" Her eyes softened momentarily, "You know all of this anyway." Nodding, Oz rose from his seat, offering it to Giles. He noticed that the elder had yet to take a seat; Oz turned his eyes to Buffy, silently asking her what she wanted him to do. 

Buffy shock her head in the negative. Without a word, Oz made his way out of the library.

Turning back to the small assembly, Buffy looked Giles right in the eye. 

"Sit." Her tone booked no argument, and it was as thou he were forced to comply. Taking on an authoritative tone once more, Buffy addressed the group. 

"Rupert Giles. I'd like to introduce to you Alexander Harris, and Willow Rosenberg. I would like to take this time, to explain to you why all of you are here." Buffy looked to their faces, to read their expressions. Xander was grinning, Willow was smiling, and Giles was…polishing his glasses.

"Everything has a balance, and that is why you are here. Since the dawn of time, there has been Good, Evil, and Gray. Roughly 500 years ago, the Powers That Be, saw that this world was in trouble, and so it was said that;

'_A Creature of Night,_

_and A Hero of Light_

_would become the Rulers_

_of this realm._

_With family, and friends,_

_both demon and human,_

_together one whole,_

_they would rule with an iron fist,_

_and a pure heart,_

_This would be the dawning_

_of the King and Queen."_

Both Willow and Xander had a look of pride on their faces, where Giles looked as thou he were itching to start writing all of this down. 

"Mr. Giles." Buffy addressed him directly. "My name is Buffy Anne Summers." When Giles heard the name, all he could do was slump back in the chair that he had been forced into. 

"My…my Slayer…?" Giles whispered his hands shaking as he reached again for his glasses. 

"Wrong Watcher," said a voice as first Oz then Spike came thru the swinging doors. "My Slayer." Spike said, walking up behind the blond, and planting a kiss on the side of her neck. Buffy tilted her head slightly to the side, giving him free access to her neck, but never taking her eyes off of Giles. 

"Mr. Giles, I would like to introduce to you my Mate, and the King of the Balanced Realm, William the Bloody." Upon her announcement, all five of them watched a Giles slumped, passed out in his chair. For a few seconds, there was nothing but silence until… 

"Huh, that went better than I was expecting." Buffy stated in a blond fashion, as the rest of the group erupted into laugher.

Ten minutes later found Giles laying on the couch in his office, with Buffy, applying a cold compress to his forehead. Groaning, Giles's eyes started to flutter, as he felt stray drops of water rolling down his neck. "Mmm…where…where am I...What happened?" Buffy didn't answer until he opened his eyes. 

"Hi Giles." Buffy said softly, in an attempt to keep the atmosphere calm. Turning his head to look at her, Giles took a couple of moments to collect himself. 

"Oh good lord. It wasn't a dream." He said, reaching up to rub at his eyes, which he found devoid of their usual glass. 

"Sorry Giles. Not a dream. But…it can be…if you want." Buffy said hesitantly. She knew that the man in front of her had a destiny to fulfill, and that he was to become a part of their family, but she just didn't like the idea of forcing it on him. Buffy was going to give him the choice. 

"Giles." Buffy said, moving to sit back into the chair that she had pulled over to the couch. "I'm about to give you a very important choice. If you'll give me a chance to explain exactly what is going on…I'd like to tell you a little bit about your destiny…" An hour later found Buffy and Giles still in his office. 

"So you see Giles, I'm giving you a choice. Either you follow the path that destiny has set in front of you, and become a part of my family. Or, you follow your own path…and we will never bother you ever again." Buffy explained at last. Gracefully standing from her chair, she looked down at Giles with soft eyes. 

"I'll give you some time to think it over. And…what ever you decide, we will respect your wishes." Buffy said unhappily, as she walked out the door. 

Thoughtfully, Giles sat back on the couch, and thought over all that the petite blond had said. There really wasn't much of a decision to make. He already knew his answer, and he had a feeling that Buffy did too.

"Well, I did it." Buffy said coming out of the office to face the small group. Oz and Willow were sitting on the stairs, talking quietly, while Xander and Spike were bonding over a game of cards.

"Did what?" asked Willow, as they all turned to Buffy when she spoke. 

"I gave him the choice." Buffy said softly. Xander and Willow looked confused, Oz raised an eyebrow, and Spike jumped from his seat. 

"What do you mean you gave him the bloody choice?" He asked, frustrated. "Their not supposed to get a choice luv. They're bloody family. It's been written!" Spike groused. Putting her hands on her hips, Buffy raised her chin and looked him dead in the eye. 

"That's right Spike. It was written. And they are family. And as part of my family, I will give them a choice. If Willow, Oz, Xander, Giles, or any of the others, ever wanted out, I would give them that in an instant." She said, her eyes flashing. "Damn it Spike! I was the Slayer! I never got a choice about my destiny; I was always destined to die. That was my destiny. So, you know what? If ever I can give someone the choice between destiny and freedom, you can be damn sure that I will do everything in my power to give them that." Eyes still glowing with an internal fire, power seemed to infuse, and radiate from her body.

Oz, Willow, and Xander looked at her with eyes that shown with love and respect. 

Spike lowered his head, not letting her see his eyes. Walking up to her, Spike wordlessly wrapped his arms around her. 

"It's alright luv. You're right." Spike said, gently stroking her hair, and holding her to his body. "You were right in what you did luv. I just forget sometimes. You know me; never think before I bloody well open my big gob. I'm sorry I yelled luv. I'm a bad rude man." Mumbling into her soft neck. 

Buffy shivered. 

"Willow was right." She said, hugging him back. 

"What's that?" Spike asked pulling back to look at her. Instead, Buffy took that chance to rest her head on his hard chest. 

"I am such a push over when it comes to you." Buffy sighed, holding him tighter. Spike chuckled and hugged her tighter, kissing her head. 

Of course, their moment was not to last. 

"Wait a minute, did you say that we get a choice?" Xander's voice piped up, when he felt the danger had passed. 

"No!" yelled Willow, and Oz, while Spike growled fiercely at him. Buffy just shook her head against Spike's arm, 

"Xander!" she said in exasperation. 

"What? G-man gets a choice, but not the rest of us?" Xander tried to defend himself. 

"Xander, if you did have the choice, would you go back to the family you had before?" Willow asked. 

"No." Xander answered automatically. 

"Then why bother asking?" She asked logically. Xander shrugged and went back to his game of solitaire. 

"Eck-hem." A throat cleared behind them. All five heads turned in sync at the sound, and found Giles standing in the doorway to his office. 

"So, Watcher? Have you decided to join our happy family or what?" Spike asked, with his arms still wrapped around Buffy. Giles sighed before answering. 

"We are going to be a rather dysfunctional group aren't we." Giles said as more of a statement than a question. Grinning widely, Buffy laughed, as she rushed to give Giles a large huge. 

"Welcome to the family G-man. There's no escaping now." Xander grinned from the table. 

"I will beg you not to call me that Xander." Giles said, he got the funny feeling that he would be saying that many times in the years to come. 

Buffy was giggling when an idea struck her. _'Hey Spike, now that we have Oz, Willow, Xander, and Giles, what do you think about doing the joining now?'_

"What about the whelp's bird?" Spike asked out loud, gaining everyone's attention. 

Buffy's face turned thoughtful, _'hum, I guess I'll have to talk to Stan to find out when she'll be coming, but for the most part, I think we should at least have everything ready for when she gets here. No harm in being prepared.'_

"Good idea luv, you get everyone on it, I still have to head up to WRH and finalize all of our finances." Spike sighed. _'I really hate that place. I know it's a demonic Law firm but does it really have to be so bloody evil?'_

Buffy chuckled at him. _'Oh! I got it!'_ Buffy thought. Giles, Willow, Xander and Oz, all watched as Buffy's eyes went wide, and her movements became excited. 

'_Why don't you take Xander with you? Two heads are better than one, and it would give you guys a nice chance to bond.'_ Buffy said, nodding her head as though that solved everything. Spike tilted his head, thinking. 

'_You know luv, that's not a bad idea. Let the whelp get his first dose of the Demon world…ya, I'll take Xander. But what about wolf boy?'_ Spike asked. Buffy shook her head slightly in the negative, then answered, 

'_Na. Xander would really like for the two of you to get to know each other better. Oz knows that. Plus, I don't think he would be too keen on leaving Willow.'_ Spike chuckled, and nodded his head. 

Buffy giggled and turned to address the group.

"Ok, here's the plan. Xander, you're going with Spike to L.A., and yes, before you ask, that does mean that you're done school for the day. Oz, Willow, and Giles, you're with me. Giles, because you're the Watcher, I have someone very important for you to meet. She will be taking you under her wing for the next little while, teaching you what the Watchers council never wanted you to know." Buffy nodded her head to him. 

"Oz, I need both you and Willow to go to the magic shop. I will give both of you a list, I need every single item on those lists. Oz, your list is for the Joining. Willow, your list is for a very special surprise." Looking at each of them in turn, as she addressed them Buffy scanned the 

room once before clapping her hands. "Alright, everyone have their assignments?" Everyone nodded. "Good, any more questions?" Again Xander raised his hand. 

"Ya Xand?" 

"I was just wondering…who else is in our family? I mean, it's not just us is it? And what did Spike mean by "the Whelp's bird"? Is that actual bird, or British guy bird?" Xander shrugged.

Buffy and Willow couldn't help but laugh why'll Spike and Giles rolled their eyes with a smirk.

"Over time more will join our family, some sooner than others. But we seven are kind of the heart of the family." Spike explained in a very un-Spike manor.

Willow's eyes lit up, but waited for Xander to figure it out. And sure enough, "hey! Wait a minute! You said seven! But there's only six of us! Who's the seventh?"

"I think it's safe to assume that Spike meant bird as in woman, there Xand." Oz said with his signature lack of expression. 

"Oh. I'll stop talking now." Xander muttered with a blush, causing everyone to chuckle.

"Anything else?" Buffy asked with a smile, looking around. No one else spoke up.

"Good. Spike, Xander, we'll see you two later." Spike grabbed her quickly around the waist, pulling her in for a passionate kiss. When he finally pulled away from her lips, both of them were panting. 

"See you later luv." He breathed in her ear, making her shiver. 

"Bye." She whispered into his lips. Grinning, Spike placed another quick kiss on her forehead, before he turned to the Library doors, grinning like a fool. 

"Whelp! Pick up your feet! 'm not waiten'!" Spike hollered, as the doors swung behind him. 

"Later guys!" Xander yelled, running out the doors.

Buffy didn't try to hold in the giggle that rose up in her chest. Turning, Buffy found three equally red faces. 

"Sorry guys, but if you're going to belong to this family, you better get used to seeing public displays of affection." 

"That's fine Buffy. When do you want us to start our jobs?" Willow asked. For someone who had never had any friends aside from Xander, Willow had gone from, crappy home life and friendless, to loving family, new boyfriend, and lifelong friends, in little less than a day.

"I need you and Oz to go and get those supplies as soon as possible, Giles, your part doesn't start until after school, so, you're free to do whatever you want. As for me, I've got classes to sign up for." Buffy went over to her purse and pulled out two sheets of paper, and handed them to Willow and Oz.

"These are the lists. They will have everything we need, so don't worry about that." Buffy watch as Willow and Oz, pulled on their book bags, and Willow turned to envelope Buffy in a tight hug. 

"Thank you. You have no idea what this means to all of us." Willow whispered. 

"I know." Buffy whispered back. "Now, go, you don't have much time. With Spike's driving, they could be back by the end of lunch." Buffy laughed. 

Willow and Oz, nodded as they made their way out the library doors. Picking up her purse from the table again, Buffy turned and made her way over to Giles's office. 

"Are you ok? You were pretty quiet in there." Buffy said, leaning her hip on the doorframe and crossing her arms. 

"Who me?" Giles asked, tuning to face her. He was sitting at his desk, with ancient texts open all around him. To all the world he looked like the old English librarian, he was posing to be. 

Buffy nodded her head. 

"Well…I suppose that this would be a-a lot for-for anyone to take-take in…all at once, as it were. I'm sure that, in a few days time I will-will become more-more accustom to the idea of being a, as you say, a champion of-of balance." Giles smiled tiredly at Buffy. Again Buffy nodded her head. 

"I'm going to tell you a secret, and you can't repeat what I'm about to say to anyone." Giles perked up slightly, and gave Buffy his full attention. "Spike never wanted this. To be king, I mean. I had to almost beg him to do this with me…for me, really. He was more than happy to continue unliving as he had been, without the killing of course. You know…I would never tell him this, but, I sometimes wonder if he'll come to recent me one day for all that I've made him do. " Buffy smiled sadly, staring at a point on the wall, while her eyes looked ages away. 

Straightening in his chair, Giles turned to face Buffy more fully. 

"Yes, about that. I was hoping you could perhaps shed some light on why William the Bloody, of all Demons, was chosen as King?" Buffy, walked further into the room, and sat down on the couch that that he had occupied earlier. 

"That's easy." Buffy paused; making sure that she had his full attention. "Spike was chosen as king…because he loves me." Buffy answered simplistically. Giles raised his eyebrows, and leaned forward in his chair. 

"I'm sorry?" Giles asked looking confused. 

"He loves me." Again, Buffy said this as though it were obvious. 

Straightening, Giles pushed his glasses further up his nose. "I'm afraid I don't understand." He said. 

"Love, Giles. It's the most powerful essence in any universe. 

We live for it, we die for it, we fight for it, we cry for it,

It makes us week, it makes us strong, it can tare us down,

And with the next breath, build us back up again,

Love is nether good, nor bad. It is a delicate balance of both.

Love is life, for all things. And Spike loves me." 

Buffy said all of this with such serine confidence, that Giles could only listen.

"Before Spike and I ever met, he was a vampire. He was evil, vicious, and blood thirsty. Then, one day, his Sire has a vision, and kicks him out of their home. Before he leaves, she tells him to go Los Angeles; that he is destined for great things, and the next second, the woman he has spent over a hundred years with is pushing him out the door to meet the sunrise. The next day, Spike's plan lands in L.A. Having no idea where he's supposed to go, he starts walking. A few hours later, and he sees me, in a graveyard, fighting. He stalked me for a couple of weeks. He never let me sense him fully, but with Spike…I've always just…known. One night thou, he slipped up, I don't know why, maybe he wasn't paying attention, or maybe he felt like getting cot. Either way, from that moment on, we were nearly inseparable. Over a week, we saw each other every night. One night, Spike had decided, that he would surprise me with the location of our date. I won't tell you the details, but, when we were coming out of the club, a buddy of Spike's surprised us, and sent us to a Hell dimension. But as we were being sucked into the vortex, the demon said that he had placed a curse on Spike to make him believe that he was in love with me."

"And?" Giles asked, eager to hear the rest of their story.

"And nothing. The demon lied. End of story." Buffy shrugged.

"But…but how-how do you know? How do you know that the demon lied? How do you know that Spike actually loves you? My God, he was an evil; soulless killing machine Buffy, he had nothing to lose, and everything to gain by making you believe that he loved you. How can you be so certain?" Giles asked, he had a hard time believing that the Slayer of Slayers would not have a vindictive personal agenda.

"Because of the way he acted when I was being tortured right before his eyes, and he thought he was the one doing it. Because he cried for me, because he saved me, and because he fought for me; not just for my safety, but for my heart as well. Oh," Buffy smiled softly at this. "And because, in the detention where we were placed, all 'earthly plain- magic', is canceled out. It's not aloud." Buffy shrugged again.

"Now…when you say tortured…you mean…?" Buffy raised her hand to stop him. 

"Sorry Giles, no one will ever know what Spike and I went thru down there. That time is strictly between us. I will tell you that; we faced our trials, and were seen worthy. We fell more in love, claimed, and Mated each other there. Both of us were given all that we would need to know, in order to be a good King and Queen. Some knowledge will be passed on to different members of the family. And one thing I will stress above all; is that Nothing, absolutely nothing will ever, separate Spike and I. Not even our family." Buffy said, again, with finality.

"Understood. You have given me a great deal to think about. I trust I will see you again at Lunch?" Giles said leaning back in his chair, placing his glasses on his desk.

"I hope so, depends on whether or not I need to attend to any Queenly duties." Buffy giggled, standing from the couch, and stretching again.

"Very well, do be careful out there, things can get rather…crazed, as it were." Buffy smiled at the stuffy English man. 

"Don't you worry about me Giles. I'm always on the lookout." Buffy winked as she walked out the door.

"Good lord. The earth is doomed." Giles sighed, smiling slightly to himself, as Buffy laughed at his statement, making her way out of the library doors. 

"But my goodness…What an adventure it will be." He smiled, shaking his head.


	18. Chapter 18

_**FYI:**_ **Just so you know, some (lots of) dialogue has been taken directly from the show, as well as all people, and most of the plot, from here on out. All following chapters will be my own adaptation of Buffy, as well as some consequential happenings from my own imagination. Thank you.**

**Well, here you go everyone. A super long chapter, and the first official episode. Hope you enjoy.**

**Welcome to the Hellmouth**

Buffy sat anxiously in Principal Flutie's office as he looked over her student transcripts.

"Buffy Summers, sophomore, late of Hemery High in Los Angeles. Interesting record, quite a career..." he says as he sits down, then promptly tarring up the paper.

"Welcome to Sunnydale!" he said with a smile. "A clean slate, Buffy, that's what you get here. What's past is past. We're not interested in what it says on a piece of paper, even if it says... Whoa."

"Mr. Flutie..." Buffy starts.

"All the kids here are free to call me Bob." He interjects.

"Bob..." Buffy tries again.

"But they don't." Mr. Flutie again interrupts her again, as he starts reassembling the torn sheet.

"I know my transcripts are a little... colorful." Buffy says blushing.

"Heeey... We're not caring about that. Do you think, uh, _'colorful'_ is the word?" He says, taping the pieces of torn paper back together. "Not, uh, _'dismal'_?"

"Wasn't **that** bad!" She whined.

"You burned down the gym." He says, looking at her incredulously.

Buffy slouches back in her chair pouting. "Ya, but it wasn't all me, I mean..." Buffy stopped at the look on his face. "I did, I really did, but... You're not seeing the big picture here, I mean, that gym was full of vampi... asbestos."

"Buffy, don't worry. Any other school they might say _'watch your step'_, or _'we'll be watching you'_... But, that's just not the way **here**. We want to service your needs, and help you to respect our needs. And if your needs and our needs don't mesh..." Flutie says, putting the poorly repaired sheet back into her file and slapping it shut.

Buffy gave him a thin smile. "Understood." She says rising from her seat and leaving the office.

Just as she exited the door way, and was digging thru her purse for a piece of gum, someone hit her hard from the side. If it hadn't been for her slayer reflexes she would have lost the entire contence of her bag.

"Woh! Hey there little lady, are you ok?"

"Ya, I'm fine, thanks." Buffy smiled pleasantly at the boy that had blindsided her.

"So you're the new girl. Huh?"

"Yep, that would be me. I'm Buffy." She introduced, sticking out her hand.

"Jessie, nice to meet you." He replied, shaking her hand.

"Same." Buffy smiled politely. "Well I'll see ya, I have to try and find my first class."

"Oh, well maybe I can help you, seeing as I've gone to a few myself."

Buffy smiled, "Ya, that would be a great help actually."

"Cool, what do you have first?"

"Guh, history. Not one of my favourite subjects let me tell you, never mind that my hus-boyfriend has practically seen all of history anyway." She laughed at her own joke, getting a slap on the ass from Spike which made her squeak and jump.

None of which Jessie noticed, he was too busy possessing the fact that this blond bombshell was indeed taken.

Buffy couldn't stand the silence after a few moments.

"So you're friends with Xander and Willow?"

Jessie was a little taken aback, "uhh, ya, Willow and Xander have been friends for pretty much their whole lives; I didn't come into the picture till about grade seven or eight."

"Wow, so you guys are like the three musketeers."

"Na, not really, I really only hang out with Xander, I mean, no offence to Willow, she's great, you know? I just never got her."

Buffy nodded.

"So how do you know Willow and Xander, I mean, don't take this the wrong way but, I don't think I've ever heard them mention you."

Buffy smiled, "oh we go way back, never really got a chance to meet, but Will and Xand are like family."

Jessie was again, surprised, and lapsed into silence.

"Oh. So what about this boyfriend of yours, does he go here?"

Buffy laughed. "Spike? Na, he's totally old, he graduated high school before my grandmother was born." Jessie's face went pale.

"What? How olds the guy? 100?"

"And 27."

When Buffy turned to look at the boy, he was doing a remarkable impression of a fish out of water. Then he started to laugh, "Oh, I'm sorry, it's just that, for a second there, I thought you were serious." He continued laughing.

Buffy laughed lightly with him, but didn't bother to add that she was, in fact, incredibly serious.

Buffy almost sent up a prayer of thanks when the class room finally came into view. She wasn't quite sure yet, but something about this guy set her hair on end. "Well thanks for the assistance." Buffy said sticking her hand out to the boy again.

"Hey, no problem, I'll see ya around." He said, walking away. When he was out of sight, Buffy sighed with relief.

'_Hey hunny?' _

'_Ya luv.' _

'_Did you see all of that?' _

'_Ya luv, felt it too, not sure what it is, but there's somethin' off about the boy.' _

'_Ya, I got that too. Do me a favour and tell Xand everything that you saw and felt, I think it would be best that he knows there's something fishy going on.' _

'_I think you're right luv, I'll let the Whelp know.' _

'_Good, and would you please stop calling him that. '_

'_Nope.' _

'_Well it was worth a shot. Love you, hunny.' _

'_Love you too, sweetheart.' _

"Now for a new brand of torture." Buffy sighed, stepping into her history class. As Spike chuckled in her head.

Buffy was studiously taking notes as the teacher droned on about The Black Death.

"It's estimated that about twenty-five million people died in that one four-year span. But the fun part of the Black Plague is that it originated in Europe how?" She paused. "As an early form of germ warfare. If you'll look at the map on page sixty-three you can trace the spread of the disease into Rome, and then north..."

Looking around, Buffy was franticly searching for an extra text book when a girl with long dark brown hair in a high pony-tail leaned over to share her text with her.

"Thanks." Buffy whispered, as the teacher droned on.

"And this popular plague led to what social changes? Steve?" the teacher asked just as the bell rang. And everyone hurried out of the class room.

"Hi! I'm Cordelia." The girl said, offering her hand to Buffy.

"I'm Buffy." She said, shaking it.

"If you're looking for a textbook of your very own there's probably a few in the library."

"Oh, great, thanks."

"Do you know where it is? I'd be happy to show you."

"Na, that's ok, I was just in there this morning."

"Oh, ok, well, if you ever need anything don't be afraid to ask. You're from Hemery, right? In L.A.?"

"Uh, yeah."

"Oh, I would kill to live in L.A. That close to that many shoes?" Cordelia said, making Buffy laugh. "Well, you'll be okay here. If you hang with me and mine, you'll be accepted in no time. Of course, we do have to test your coolness factor. You're from L.A., so you can skip the written, but let's see. Vamp nail polish?"Cordelia said without taking a breath and letting Buffy get a word in edgewise.

"Um, over?" Buffy said playing along. It was scary how similar this was to Hemery.

"So over. James Spader?" Buffy shrugged.

"Hottie. Not as much as my guy, but there's definite potential." She said giggling.

Cordelia just nodded. "Frappaccinos?"

"Trendy, but tasty."

"John Tesh?"

"The Devil."

Cordelia gave a light laugh "That was pretty much a gimme, but... you passed!"

"Oh, goody!" Buffy said with a mock sense of relief.

Turning down a hallway, Buffy watched as a timid looking boy getting a drink from the water fountain straightened up when he saw them coming.

"Jonathan!" Cordelia greats with a mocking smile. "Nice Shirt! It's good to know that you haven't given up on your grandfather's wardrobe."

"Uh, oh, well, my mom picked it out." The pore boy stuttered, blushing.

"No wonder you're such a chick magnet. Are you done?" She snapped back.

Jonathan looked at the fountain, then back at Cordelia. "Oh!" He squeaked, turning to leave.

Buffy watched him go for a moment, then looked back at Cordelia after she started talking again. "You wanna fit in here, the first rule is: know your losers. Once you can identify them all by sight (glances after Jonathan) they're a lot easier to avoid." Buffy just stared at her for a moment before finding her voice.

"Ya, well, I've really got to get that book, I'll talk to you later."

"See ya." Cordy waved continuing down the hall.

'_Wow, Juddy 2.0' _Buffy thought, shaking her head.

'_What's that luv?'_

'_Oh nothing, you remember that girl I told you about that night at Caritas, Juddy Lancaster?'_

'_Vaguely, ya, what of her?'_

'_I think I just met her twin sister.'_

--

Buffy walked into the library, sulking, after actually getting slightly lost. "Stupid history. Stupid school." She grumbled.

Giles heard Buffy's muttering as she huffed into the library. Seeing Giles, Buffy finally addressed him, "Why do I even need to know this stuff anyway? It's not like it's supernatural history either, and even if it was, I have you; who already knows everything, and Spike; who's lived it all." She whined.

Giles smiled fondly, and chuckled at her childishness. Without saying a word he handed her all of the text books she would be needing, which he had already gathered for her.

Buffy continued to grumble under her breath as she took the books and started to make her way out of the Library. Just as the door closed she heard Giles shout, "Have fun."

Which only caused her to growl slightly in response.

In the girls' locker room, two cheerleaders were discussing Buffy.

"The new kid? She seems kind of weird to me. What kind of name is Buffy?"

"Well, the chatter in the caf is that she got kicked out, and that's why her mom had to get a new job."

The girls chatted, working the combinations to their gym lockers.

"Neg!"

"Pos! She was starting fights!"

"Neg-ly!"

"Well," the girl said, opening her locker. "I heard from Blue, and she said that..." What Blue said was completely cut off by the girl's scream as the body of a lifeless corps fell out of her locker.


	19. Chapter 19

Back in the Quad, Buffy spotted the timid boy that Cordelia had harassed earlier.

"Uh, Hi! Jonathan, right?" Buffy asked, coming up and sitting down beside him as he ate his lunch.

Jonathan looked up. "Why? Do you want me to move?" He grumbled.

Buffy raised her eyebrow in slight humour. "Why don't we start with, _'Hi, I'm Buffy,'_ and, uh, then let's segue directly into me asking you for a favour. It doesn't involve moving, but it does involve hanging out with me for a while.

"But aren't you hanging out with Cordelia?" He asked, unsure whether or not this was some kind of trick.

"Uh, no, not formally. Couldn't I do both?" She joked.

"Actually...no, I don't think so." He says, giving her a slight smile in return.

"Huh, well, I guess it's just you, me, and the gang then." She said, giving him a blinding smile.

Jonathan just stared at the woman before him for a moment, not sure what to say. He had been a social outcast nearly his whole life, and here was this person that he had never really met, and she was offering him a place in her circle, and, she didn't even have a circle, not that he was aware of.

"Uh, gang?"

Buffy continued to smile. "Yep: Oz, Willow, Xander, myself, my husband, you, and a few others."

"Wow." Jonathan stared at her for a moment in amazement. She hadn't even been here a day, and already she had two of the nicest, and one of the coolest people in the school as her closest friends. "Uh, not to be rude or anything, but, why me? You don't even know me."

Buffy nodded her head in solemn acknowledgement, before breaking out in a wide smile. "You're right Jonathan Levinson, I really don't know a whole lot about you, but I intend to. You're going to be a powerful mage someday, and I intend to have you on our side."

Again, Jonathan was left staring at Buffy in slack jawed amazement. Seeing the look on his face, Buffy giggled. "I don't think we've been properly introduced; I'm Buffy Bloody-Summers, Queen of the Balanced Realm. Nice to meet you." She said sticking out her hand for him to shake, and laughing when he continued to stare at her blankly, even as he raised his hand to shake hers.

Buffy released his hand as she felt tingles alert her spidy sense, and looked around; she was surprised though to see that it was actually Oz and Willow making their way over to her. Buffy smiled still and waved at them. Then turned back to Jonathan.

Shaking himself out of his stupor, Jonathan looked at Buffy, trying to decide if he believed her or not. The sudden appearance of Oz and Willow at her side startled him, but what confused him more, was when Willow unabashedly gave Buffy a hug, and Oz gave her a nod that looked more like a bow.

"Hey Buffy! How were classes? Do you have a favourite yet?"

Buffy mock glared at the red head and raised an eyebrow. "Ya. English." (Cause Spike's English, get it?)

Willow chuckled, and Oz actually quirked a small smirk.

Smiling again, Buffy turned to face Jonathan, who had stayed completely silent and just watched their byplay.

"I'm assuming you all know each other?" Buffy asked looking between the three of them.

"Yep, hey Jonathan." Chirped Willow.

"Hey Willow." Jonathan smiled easily.

"Hey." Oz said, slipping his arm around Willow's waist and pulling her against his side.

"H-hey Oz." Jonathan stuttered, as this was the first time he had ever spoken to the other boy.

"So, Buffy, when do you think Spike and Xander will be getting back?" Willow asked, as she and Oz took a seat on the bench in front of them.

"Oh, Spike says they should be back in a few hours, their just now finishing up some paper work. Also, he's just putting the finishing touches on a little surprise." Buffy gushed with a big smile.

"Really? What is it?" Willow asked with excitement, as she nearly vibrated against Oz. Causing both he and Buffy to chuckle.

"Can't tell you. But I can tell you that Xander is absolutely thrilled." Buffy giggled.

Willow smiled with excitement then turned her attention to Jonathan. "So what has Buffy told you?" She asked with curiosity.

"Uh, well, I, uh," Jonathan stuttered for a moment, not sure how much to say, before remembering that Buffy had listed these two as part of her inner circle. "Well, I know, that she's a Queen, but I'm not completely sure of what, or if I believe it."

Willow smiled widely, "oh, don't worry about that, you'll be a believer soon." Willow and Jonathan started chatting about school, when Oz leaned into Buffy, "is he going to be a brother?" Buffy beamed him a smile and nodded her head. "Cool."

"What?" Willow asked, hearing Oz's response, and looked to Buffy.

"Well, it's up to Jonathan, but if he chooses, he has been chosen the third son." Willow smiled wide and leaned over to give the startled boy a hug.

"Umm, 'scuse me, but...what?" Buffy, and now Willow, had to be one of the weirdest people he had ever met. One of the nicest, for sure...but definitely strange.

"Ok," Buffy said, turning to address him fully. "Jonathan, as you probably know, demons, magic, the supernatural, it's all real, all of it. Now, the universe that we live in, that is, the world as we know it, is only a single realm out of billions. This realm is known as the "Balanced Realm", and is in my opinion, one of the best out of all of them. It's called the Balanced Realm because that is exactly what it is, balanced. This is a place where humans and demons can coexist, and live in relative peace. Now, as for what I told you earlier, I am a ruler of this realm, and my mate and husband, Spike, is the King. Oz, our Werewolf, is a prince, and Willow, our Witch, a princess. Xander, our Knight, is also a prince. Where you fit in, is as Jonathan, our Mage, and prince." Buffy paused for a moment to let it all sink in before continuing. "Jonathan, listen, this is very important." Jonathan stared at her giving her his full attention. "Your joining the family, though written, and fore told, is not going to be forced upon you. If you have any questions, you can ask any of us, and we will gladly answer you, but when it comes to making your choice, it's all up to you. You can take as much time as you need."

Jonathan took a deep breath and turned to look at Oz, who was looking at him with a strange mixture of pride, understanding, and acceptance. The last filled Jonathan with a strange yearning feeling, as he had never been accepted in his life. And here were three virtual strangers offering, not only acceptance, but a loving family, and a place where he would truly belong.

"Ok, Buffy. Yes, I would love to be a part of your family."

Buffy, Willow, and Oz, all smiled at him, but before any of them could say anything, Cordelia's voice cut through the air.

"Are these guys bothering you?"

Surprised by the brunet's sudden appearance, all four turned to look at her.

"Uh, no." Buffy said, giving her a taken aback expression. Cordelia let her eyes trail over the company Buffy was keeping, she gave Willow, and Jonathan a disdainful look, but was surprised when her sight fell on the "coolest loner" in Sunnydale High, hanging out with "the new girl", and his arm wrapped around the "teacher's pet" and all around "loser".

"Hey, Cordy." Oz nodded.

"Oz? Since when do you hang out with losers?"

Oz's face remained impassive, but when Willow tensed and tried to pull away from his side the arm he had around her waist tightened. "I'm not too sure what you're talking about Cordy, your friends are waiting for you over there." he nodded his head in the direction of her friends, and had to smile when Willow snuggled back against his side and laid her head on his shoulder.

Instead of coming to the defence of her friends, Cordelia just rolled her eyes. "Oh, please!" She turned to Buffy, "I don't mean to interrupt your downward mobility, but I just wanted to tell you that you won't be meeting Coach Foster, the woman with the chest hair, because gym was cancelled due to the extreme dead guy in the locker."

Buffy turned to the cheerleader in surprised interest, giving the snobby girl her full attention, "What?"

Willow, Oz, and Jonathan were now also giving her their full attention as well. "What are you talking about?" the witch asked.

"Some guy was stuffed in Aura's locker!" Cordelia gestured and huffed indignantly.

"Dead." Buffy clarified, again.

Cordelia nodded, and started gesturing again "Totally dead. Way dead."

Buffy knew the reaction she was going to get, but she had to ask, "How did he die? Were there any marks?"

Just as Buffy predicted, Cordelia gave her a disgusted look. "Morbid much! I didn't ask!"

Buffy gave Oz and Jonathan a meaningful look. "Hey Will, I've got to visit the little girls room, come and show me where it is?"

Willow easily got the hint and nodded, "Sure Buffy, come on, I'll show you."

Willow gave Oz a kiss on the cheek, and turned to follow Buffy out of the court yard.

Cordelia stared after the two girls. "What's her deal?" she said, more to herself.

"So Cordy, who's the lucky guy this week?" Oz asked, distracting her in case she felt like following the Girls.

--

Together, Buffy and Willow made their way towards the girl's locker room. Reaching for the handle, Willow pulled, but the door just jolted. "It's locked." She said, turning to Buffy.

With a devious smile, Buffy grabbed the handle and gave it a quick yank. The sound of splintering wood followed, and the door opened with ease.

Willow wasn't sure whether to gasp or giggle, so she just covered her mouth in astonishment, it was the first time she had ever seen Buffy do anything really paranormal.

"Ok, Will, I need you stay out here, and if any one tries to come in, just knock on the door, and skedaddle, ok?" Willow nodded, and turned to stand against the wall while Buffy shut the door behind her.

Silently, Buffy moved over to the body, and pulled down the sheet. Buffy sighed. "Oh Great."

'_Spike I think we may have a problem.' _Buffy called through their link.

'_What is it luv?' _

'_I think your family might be in town.' _

'_What?! What happened? Where are you? Are you alright?' _

'_Spike, calm down hunny. I'm fine, I'm still at school.' _

'_Gods, luv, don't scare me like that. Anyway, what makes you think that the dear old fam has come to Sunnyhell?' _

'_Well, for starters, I'm looking at someone's late night snack, and judging by the signature around the wound, and the size of the bite, I want to say female Aurelius.' _

'_You think its Dru?' _

'_Actually, no, it's almost nothing like your old bite marks.' _

'_Shit.' _

'_What is it?' _

'_Darla.'_

'_Ah, so I was right, she is from your old family.'_

'_Ya, you could say that, Darla is one nasty bitch. Not exactly a fighter, but she's tricky, she'll get someone else to do her dirty work, usually something with more bulk than brain. Dear old grandmum.'_

'_Sounds like laughs a minute.'_

'_Oh, luv, I forgot to ask you, the Whelp mentioned something about the local watering hole, calls it the Bronze. What do you say we take the kiddies out for a night of dancing? Kind of a 'welcome to the hellmouth' type bash.'_

'_Aw, ya, that would be great, I'll let the guys know, oh, did I tell you that Jonathan said yes?'_

'_That's great, luv, tell Sparky welcome to the family for me. The Whelp and I should be back just after you get home.' _

'_That's great. Well, I got to get out of here before they see me standing over another dead body and start to get the idea I'm some kind of __Necropheliac__.'_

'_Pet, you are a Necropheliac.'_

'_Only for you, baby.'_ She said with a wink.

'_Minx.'_ Spike chuckled.

After re-covering the body, Buffy and Willow backtracked to the court yard to find the boys still sitting together chatting.

They both looked up when the girls approached.

"Hey." Oz said, as Willow took up her previous spot at her boyfriend's side.

"What happened with the dead guy?" Jonathan asked.

Buffy shrugged, "dead and staying that way."

Jonathan blanched, "You didn't touch it did you?"

Buffy huffed and through her arms up in the air. "See! It's started all ready! My own son thinks I'm some kind of Necrophiliac!" The volume of her voice causing people to stare at her.

Jonathan's eye brows shot up into his hair line in surprise, while Oz and Willow laughed.

"You know, Buffy..." Oz started.

"That's different!" She yelled in frustration.

Willow spoke up after she finally recovered enough to speak. "Well, actually, Spike is technically dead, Buffy." She said, trying to hold in her giggling.

Buffy huffed, crossing her arms. "I give up, I'm going to see Giles." She said, walking away, as all of them started laughing again.

"Hey Giles! You here?" Buffy called, entering the library.

Buffy couldn't help but giggle when only his head appeared for behind a stack.

"Oh," Giles said with a smile, stepping from behind the stack completely. "Hello Buffy."

"Hey, I was wondering if you had heard about the dead guy in the girl's locker room?"

"Yes, do you know something?" He said simply. He himself had tried to get a look at the boy, but hadn't been able to come up with a reasonable excuse as to why a high school librarian would have any business examining a dead body.

"Ya, I got a good look at the body, and, I'll give you a hint; he's got two little, little holes in his neck, and all his blood's been drained. Any Guesses?"

Giles sighed, and cleaned his glasses. "I was afraid of this."

Buffy perched herself on the large wooden desk in the center of the room and started swinging her legs. "Well, then, you were better prepared than me. I was afraid that I was gonna be behind in all my classes, how people would react when then found out who I was, that I would have last month's hair. I didn't think there'd be vampires on campus."

Giles smiled at her indulgently. It struck him, how, he hardly knew the girl, and yet the mere thought of her stirred such a loving reaction in him that he couldn't help but feel a father's affection for the girl.

"Spike and I think we know who the killer was." Buffy said, waking Giles from his musing.

"Really?" Giles was astounded. "How could you possibly know that?" He asked, walking quickly into his office to grab his journal.

Buffy waited until he was seated at the table, while she still sat on it, swinging her legs like a child. "Well, it's really simple actually, demons, like everything in existence, have an aura, but, with vamps, because they are technically dead, whenever they bite someone, whether in pleasure or pain, they leave a piece of themselves behind, it's called a signature, and to someone who's looking for it, it's really obvious, I mean, like, through clothes, obvious. Now, as you can probably put together, vampires from the same line have similar signatures, not the same, just similar, and if you know one, you can spot them all. Anyway, to make a long story short, we think that the vamp that killed the guy in the locker room is Darla, Spike's great grandsire."

Giles finished scribbling and placed his pen down to look at Buffy with fear and amazement. "Darla? Why, I've heard of her." He said, getting up and heading over to one of his book shelves. Pulling a book down, he rapidly started flipping thru the pages. "Ah!" he said, pulling off his glasses and nibbling on the ear piece, as he came back over to Buffy. "Yes, here it is, Darla, 1/4th of the scourge of Europe, favoured child of the master, and sire of Angelus. Says here, that she was sired by the master on her death bed, apparently she was dying of syphilis."

Buffy gave him a disgusted look, "Eww much? Anyway, does it say what McSlutty pants has been up too for the last little while, or maybe who she's trailing with?"

Giles again shuffled through the book, "uh, no actually, unfortunately it just ends there. But not to worry, I'll do more research on our new friend, if the body is in fact the end result of Darla's last meal, I feel it's safe to say that we will indeed be hearing from her again, and probably soon."

Buffy nodded. "Ya, you're probably right. So, Giles, what can you tell me about Sunnydale? How much do you know?"

Buffy smiled in enjoyment at how excited he got. "In truth, it's really quite fascinating. Digging a bit into the history of this place, you'll find a, a steady stream of fairly odd occurrences. Now, I believe this whole area is a center of mystical energy, that things gravitate towards it that, that, that you might not find elsewhere.

Giles started pacing in his enthusiasm. As Buffy smiled.

"Like zombies, werewolves, incubi, succubi, everything you've ever dreaded was under your bed, but told yourself couldn't be by the light of day. They're all real!"

Buffy couldn't help but laugh. "What? You, like, sent away for the Time-Life series?"

Giles blushed. "Ah, w-w-w-yes."

"Did you get the free phone?" she asked with amusement.

"Um, the calendar."

This time Buffy laughed out right.

"On a more serious note, Buffy, surly you must know; it's getting worse."

Buffy's brows furrowed in concern. "What's getting worse?"

Giles sighed, and again removed his glasses to pinch the bridge of his nose. "The influx of the undead, the... supernatural occurrences, it's been building for years. I do believe that it is the reason why you're here and a reason why it's now!"

Buffy nodded her head, mulling it over. "Ya, makes sense, now is the time the PTB sent us here."

"Buffy, I have the worst feeling that something's coming, something, something... something is, is gonna happen here. Soon! The signs, as far as I can tell, point to a crucial mystical upheaval, very soon. Days. Possibly less.

Buffy nodded her head grimly. "I know. Both Spike and I can feel it, don't worry, we've got some time, lots actually, everyone will be ready when the time comes."

Giles nodded, oddly, he was greatly comforted by the diminutive blond.

Across the street, and below the earth, the concave lair was softly lit by hundreds of candles, and vamp bearing torches. The sound of a lone vampire chanting fills the cavern.

"The sleeper will wake. The sleeper will wake. The sleeper will wake. The sleeper will wake, and the world will bleed. Amen!"


	20. Chapter 20

**Hey there, I know it's been a long time in between updates and I'm really sorry about that. But I just wanted all of you readers out there, that I have started a new project. **

**I have created two new Podcasts, which I am very proud of.**

**Slayer Stories is an audio fanfiction podcast where I read your favorite Spuffy fanfiction stories, which you can then download and listen to on you ipod/Mp3 player. You can find it on Itunes or ****/slayerstories**** .**

If there is a specific fic that you would like read, please e-mail me through , and I'll try to get permission from the author.

**I also have two other Podcasts:**

**Phoenix Fiction: Harry/Hermione Fanfiction  
****/phoenixfictions******

The Romance Section: Hades/Persephone, Eric/Christine (Phantom of the Opera), Inuyasha/Kagome, and any other couple you like, as long as it doesn't interfere with the previous couples mentioned. i.e. No: Buffy/Other, Spike/Other, Harry/Other, Hermione/Other, ext.  
**/theromancesection****  
**

**Alrighty, sorry for the delay, on with the story...**

**Chapter 20**

After school found Buffy standing in her room, as Willow, Oz, and Jonathan were ready and waiting down stairs.

Looking at herself in the mirror, Buffy held up a tight black leather dress, "Hi! I'm an enormous slut!" Shaking her head, Buffy pull another dress in front of her, "Would you like a copy of 'The Watchtower'?" Buffy huffed. "I used to be so good at this."

"Hi hon." Joyce said, coming into the room.

"Hey."

"I just wanted you tell you to have fun tonight, and that everyone is still waiting for you down stairs. Oh, and is Spike going to be home soon?"

Buffy continued to dig through her closet as she answered her mother. "Ya, he should be here any minute. Damn!" Buffy cursed, still looking at her closet.

"What's wrong?" Joyce asked, amusement clear in her voice.

"I have nothing the wear!" she wined petulantly.

"Buffy."

For the first time since Joyce had entered her room Buffy looked up, only to see her mom holding her favourite red dress.

"How about this?"

With a squeal, Buffy through herself at Joyce. "Thanks mom." She said, releasing her from the bone crushing hug.

Joyce laughed. "You're welcome honey." She said as she left the room to let her daughter get changed.

'_Hey, luv?'_

'_Hey, where are you? You and Xand were supposed to be here a while ago.'_

'_I know luv, traffic was worse than I was expecting, you lot go without us, we'll meet you there.'_

'_You sure?' _

'_Ya pet, you go ahead, start the fun without me. We won't be too long, I promise.'_

'_Ok, if you're sure. We'll see you later.'_

'_Later luv.'_

Getting dressed quickly, Buffy finally made her way down the stairs. "Well, I just talked to Spike, turns out he and Xander got stuck in traffic, and they're going to meet us there. Everyone ready to go?" She looked around at everybody staring at her. "What? Do I have something on my face?" she asked in a panic reaching up to her face.

"Oh, no, sorry, it's just, Buffy you look really nice." Willow said, being the first out of the group to recover her voice.

Buffy had come down the stairs wearing her favourite quarter length red dress, complete with knee high leather boots. Her hair was done in soft, gentle gold waves that whispered down her back. She looked beautiful, yet somehow deadly.

"Buffy, are you sure Spike won't mind you wearing something like that in front of other guys?" Oz asked, raising an eyebrow.

Buffy just shrugged. "I don't see why, it's his arm I'll be hanging off of all night."

"I don't think that will matter." Jonathan squeaked, still staring at Buffy. She reminded him of one of the warrior goddesses from his comic books. Fierce and beautiful.

Buffy just laughed. "Ok, everyone ready to go?"

They nodded, and headed out the door.

--

They hadn't been walking long when Oz stiffened.

"Hey Buffy, do you feel that?"

"Ya Oz. Vamp. Male. Old, older than Spike. Aurelius. " She whispered so low that only his wolf senses would be able to pick it up.

"Hey guys, you go ahead, I was supposed to meet a friend of mine just over here, I'll catch up." Buffy said loud enough for the vamp that was following them to hear, and giving Oz a meaningful look. Understanding Oz nodded, just enough to show her he got the message.

"Ya, sure Buffy, we'll meet you there." Willow said, getting the feeling that something wasn't right. It made her uneasy, causing her to hold on to Oz just a little bit tighter.

Buffy watched them go for a moment, and was relieved when the creature stayed hidden in the shadows behind her. With the 'upgrade' that came with the whole "Queen" package, Buffy was easily able to sense his presence, not to mention hear his footsteps. She was also pretty sure that, were she to turn around right now, no matter how dark the night, she would be able to see him.

Quietly walking down the alley she had pointed to earlier, Buffy herself slipped into the shadows. A minute passed before another figure entered into view of her hiding place. Buffy watched with complete silence as he moved directly into her strike zone.

Easing her grip from the bar, Buffy effortlessly swung down, her feet connecting solidly with the back of his head, and knocking him to the ground. Buffy glared at him with her foot on his chest, firmly holding him down.

Looking up at the fierce blond, Angel chuckled, more in embracement than fear. "Ah, heh. Is there a problem, ma'am?"

This irked Buffy to no end, causing her to press down just a little harder and glare fiercely at him. "Yeah, there's a problem. Why are you following me and my family?"

Angel was doing his very best to pretend to take harsh breaths. "I know what you're thinking. Don't worry, I don't bite."

Buffy rolled her eyes. "Who do you think you're dealing with fang face? Of course you do." Buffy scoffed, moving her foot but keeping her fighting stance.

Angel sighed as he picked himself up off the ground, rubbing the back of his neck where her feet had connected. "Truth is, I thought you'd be taller, or bigger, muscles and all that. You're pretty spry, though." He said, completely ignoring her.

Folding her arms, Buffy glared. She knew that this vamp was an elder of Spike's line, and what she had heard of 'Peaches', wasn't very flattering. "What do you want?"

Angel tried for a disarming smile, too which Buffy just rolled her eyes. "The same thing you do."

Buffy was intrigued by this and let her guard down just a little. "Okay. What do I want?"

Smiling a little, in what Buffy recognized as victory, Angel took a step towards her and Buffy's guard came back up. "To kill them. To kill them all."

Buffy wasn't sure whether to be shocked or pissed off at his egotistical behaviour. "Sorry, that's incorrect. But you do get this lovely watch and a year's supply of Turtle Wax. What I want is for you to leave me and my family alone!" Buffy said, determinedly turning to walk away.

"Do you really think that's an option anymore? You're standing at the Mouth of Hell. And it's about to open." His irritating voice stopped her, and her curiosity forced her to turn around.

"What do you know?" she said, almost demanding.

Instead of speaking, Angel reached into his jacket and pulled out a small box.

"Don't turn your back on this." He replied cryptically, tossing her the box. "You've got to be ready."

Again Buffy rolled her eyes. "Ready for what?"

"For the Harvest."

Buffy nodded her head. "Good, that's something, now, what's the Harvest?"

"That's for you to figure out."

Fed up, Buffy through her arms up in the air. "Who are you?"

Angel gave an infuriating smirk. "Let's just say... I'm a friend." He say's turning to walk away.

"I have enough friends, thanks. A whole family in fact."

Angel turned back, still walking into the shadows. "I didn't say I was yours."

Buffy looked after him for a moment, then slipped the box that he had given her into her purse, unopened.

--§ Sprung Monkey – Believe §--

Walking into the Bronze after her really weird encounter with the creepy vampire, Buffy scanned the crowd for her soon-to-be family. Seeing them sitting at a table, Buffy noticed how they kept craning their necks and looking around the club. Good mood revived, Buffy practically bounced over to their table.

Swaying slightly to the music, while expanding her senses and feeling all of the demonic signatures in the roaring club, Buffy ignored the appreciative looks she was getting from the human males, and some of the females. As she passed, a group of what looked to be your average teenage boys, bowed their heads in respect, while at the same time, eyeing up her attire.

"I don't know how the King would feel about you coming out alone, and looking so beautiful, your Majesty." One of the boys said with a charming grin.

"Why thank you Paul, but who said I was alone?" She answered with a saucy smirk and a wink.

All five of the boys looked at her in surprise.

Smiling at the stunned looks on their faces, Buffy turned and waved, continuing to make her way over to the table.

"See ya later guys, you boys try to behave your selves tonight."

Still with looks of amazement on their faces, they watched her walk away.

"Does anyone else find the fact that she actually knows who we are, just the littlest bit creepy?" Derek asked.

All five boys raised their hands.

"Hey!" Buffy grins as she reached the table.

"Hey Buffy." Willow and Jonathan chorus as Oz just nods in her direction.

"Everything ok?" Oz asks casually.

Buffy put her hands on her hips and rolled her eyes, "Ya, everything's fine, turns out there's some big bad about to go down, and the only guy how knows anything is being all cryptic vamp. So annoying."

"I don't get it Buffy," Willow piped up, "can't you just order him to answer you, and he has to do it?"

"Wouldn't that be nice. Na, until the family is fully formed, I'm pretty much normal Slayer Buffy, only, you know, with upgrades." Buffy groused.

Buffy was just about to take the seat between Willow and Jonathan, when she was suddenly roughly grabbed from behind and held against a firm chest. She was about to start struggling when she felt a cool familure tongue lick the bite marks on the side of her neck, sending a shock to her center.

"Spike..." she moaned, leaning back, and turning into a Buffy shaped puddle.

"Hey Slayer." His voice rasped in her ear.

"You do know that seeing your parents go at it has been known to cause mental trauma." Xander's voice invaded the couple's world like a bucket of cold water.

"Then don't look."

Everyone chuckle when this came from Buffy, and Spike didn't bother to even pause his menstruations.

"You have fun without me luv?" Spike whispered, running his hand down her belly, and around to rest on her hip, holding her to him.

"Never." She moaned again, letting her head fall back on his shoulder.

Finally, the sound of Xander's gagging managed to interrupt them, and both Buffy and Spike raised their heads to see Willow, and Jonathan blushing bright red, and trying to look anywhere but at the kissing couple, Oz, had his face hidden in Willow's hair, also doing his best to ignore them, and Xander still making his gagging noises.

Scowling, Spike reached over and wapped the Whelp on the back of the head.

"Shut it Whelp. Just 'cause you've never gotten laid, doesn't mean I can't please my lady."

This made Buffy blush and she slapped him lightly in the chest. "Not in front of the kids."

"Hakuna Matata." Xander sang badly, throwing his arms over Oz and Jonathan, making Buffy and Willow laugh.

"Oh, that reminds me, did you get everything settled?" Buffy asked, attaching herself to Spike's side. Smiling down at her Spike let his fingers sift thru her hair.

"That I did luv, everything's all set for the Watcher and you and I to set up."

Buffy was practically glowing when she turned back to address the group. "Ok, here's the deal. You all know about Spike and I, and you all know where you stand in the big scheme of things, well, the PTB gave us a little, "welcome to the family" present for you."

Willow, lit up with excitement, and, for the first time, Jonathan and Oz had the same expression of curiosity on their faces. Xander was practically jumping up and down.

"I know that right now, your family and living conditions leave something to be desired. Oz, with you being who you are, your family can't really relate to you, they don't know how to deal. Willow, the only 

real family you've ever had has been Xander. Your parents are never home, and when they are, they ignore you. Jonathan, Your family has no idea who you are. And they've never taken the time to find out. And Xander, you've had it worse than anyone here. With both of your parents being both phicicaly and verbally abusive, you've never had a family period. It was with this information, that the Powers are offering all of you a real home, with a real family."

Buffy paused for a moment to let what she had just said sink in.

"Spike and I are expanding our home. Each and every one of you will have your own room, with your own space. Now, whether you chose to move in with us or not, you will always have a place there. Just like joining the family, moving in is completely up to you."

Buffy was unprepared when she was suddenly covered in bodies.

"Thank you Buffy. You have no idea what this means to all of us." This unexpectedly came from Oz, as even he was in on the _'let's squish Buffy'_ hug.

"Oi! Give the lady some room to breathe." Spike laughed, resting his hand on Buffy's shoulder which was still just barely visible under the big pile of bodies.

"I'm assuming that's a yes?" Buffy's muffled voice floated up over the music.

"In the immortal words of dad...abso-bloody-lutly!" Xander cheered whole heartedly to which everyone else agreed after they had removed themselves off of Buffy.

"So...uh, how is this going to work exactly? I mean...where do we start?" Jonathan piped up.

"A valid question there Sparky, Goldilocks and I were able to get our hands on a rather neat little spell book that'll take care of whole room and board situation. As to the whole family deal, as in what do we tell your biological family, well, figured I'd leave the lying and persuading up to the Slayer." Spike explained to the slightly intimidated boy.

"Relax, he might look scary, but dad is completely wrapped around mom's little finger." Xander whispered to Jonathan.

"Ya Whelp, but what a pretty little finger it is..." Spike smirked as he kissed the back of Buffy's hand, making her blush.

"Any way," Buffy mock glared, jokingly tugging her had away from Spike, and pretending to wipe it off. "What do you guys say we dance for a bit, then start planning how we're going to move everybody in?"


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

"You know me love, I'm always up for a party, but I think that'll have to wait. We've got company, and it feels like family from the old days." Spike said with a subdued snarl, covertly extending his senses.

Buffy stiffened. "Where?"

"Just left. Listen, you stay here with the kiddies, I'll go check it out."

"But-"

"No. The old bitch may know that I've mated, but she definitely won't know that I've mated with the Slayer. Best to leave that little tid-bit until we really need it, like say, when you're ramming a tooth pick through her chest."

"Anyone ever tell you you have a way with words?" Buffy asked with a wry smile.

Spike smirked. "Oh luv, you have no idea."

With a parting kiss, Spike slipped into the shadows and out into the night.

"Whoa." Said Jonathan from behind Buffy, who had turned to watch Spike leave.

"What?" She asked, turning back around.

"H-he really has the whole _'creature of the night'_ thing down, doesn't he?" Jonathan stuttered slightly, still nervous about knowing a vampire.

"Jonathan, buddy, you have really got to get over this whole being scared of dad thing. I mean, look at it this way, now, whenever anyone picks on you, you can just sick dad on them." Xander joked, patting Jonathan on the back.

"Forget that, next time Cordelia gives me one of her snooty, stuck-up, _'Queen C'_ comments, I'm going straight to mom." Willow huffed at the look Xander was giving her. "Hey, you haven't seen her in action. Buffy can be scary."

Buffy rolled her eyes. "Will you guys stop. Come on, I want to dance!" She grinned, leading them onto the dance floor.

Unconsciously, the little group formed a small circle on the center of the dance floor. None of them noticed when the four _'young men'_ from earlier stood at the edges of the circle, _'discouraging'_ any males or females that attempted to approach the group.

"Well, well, well…what have we here? A pimply faced toddler sniffen' around a dried up, diseased, old cunt? Though, I suppose you do smell nearly the same. Only real difference is the new-to-used ratio. Isn't it…grandmum?"

"William." Darla hissed, pulling herself away from her latest catch.

"Um, do you two know each other?" Jesse asked, looking uncomfortably between the two blonds.

"Better make yourself scarce boy. Trust me; you don't want anything found between that troll's thighs. Got to talk to old Darla here about a present she "accidently" gave me last weekend, if you get my drift."

"Oh, ah, ya, wow, ok. I'll, ah, see you a-around." Jesse said hurriedly, not even giving Darla another look as he rushed back into the Bronze.

"Fuck you William. You just cost me my dinner!" She raged. She didn't dare take a swing at him. She maybe older, but he had much more fighting experience.

"Ya, I know, I'm really broken up about it." Spike shrugged with a smirk, placing a cigarette between his lips and lighting it.

"So. Grandmum. What brings you to this neck of the woods?"

"Family. What about you William? Are you here to introduce me to this new mate of yours? Well? Where is the latest _'love of your unlife'_? Did you have to cage this one up too? Oh, or is she insane like good old Drusilla, and completely dependent on you?" Darla asked, her taunts falling short. When she noticed that she was having no effect on the usually hot headed vamp, Darla picked up her game.

"Speaking of, where is that insane piece of trash? Not off fucking another Larkas demon, is she? Well, she always was so…fickle." Darla gave an evil smirk, when she saw Spike stiffen. "Though never with Angel, now that I think about it. Strange, how she never tired of his bed." Darla got frustrated when Spike just continued to stand there, silent, no longer tense.

"So William, tell me about your new whore? When are you going to introduce her to the family? Let us break her in?" Darla smiled wickedly, licking her lips.

"I've noticed," Spike finally spoke up, tossing his finished cigarette to the ground, and grinding it beneath his Doc Martin. "That you've mentioned 'the family' twice now, so, I'm curious…just who are we talken' about, hag?"

Darla's smile disappeared. "You always were such a disappointment, William. Here's an idea. Why don't I send you a little…care package for your new mate? Hum? How does she feel about torture?" Darla snarled, her eyes glinting.

"I'd be careful about whose company I make those kinds of comments in if I were you, Grandmum. Threatening my mate is punishable by beheading in this dimension."

Darla through her head back and laughed. "Oh please William, is that supposed to be some sort of threat? Tell me, how old is she? 5, 6 years dead?"

"No, actually."

"What? Don't tell me she's a Master. What Master Vampire in her right mind would willingly take you as her mate?"

"She's not a vamp, actually."

Darla screeched with laughter.

It was unknown who would through the next barb, because at that moment, Jesse came stumbling out of the Bronze once again, with another vamp hanging off his arm.

"Bloody hell boy, can't you find one that doesn't want to use you as a chew toy?" Spike asked, rolling his eyes in exasperation.

Jesse looked at him confused. "I thought that was the point."

Despite himself, Spike chuckled. "Ya mate, but you still want to be breathen' come sun rise."

Spike then turned to the vamp girl hanging off of the boy, continuing to ignore Darla. Who had decided to stay and simply watch the byplay.

"Sorry luv, Bridgette, is it? But not this one, not tonight. Why don't you go munch on someone who deserves it, eh? Dish out a little death and dismemberment to some rapist or pedophile, somewhere. Make a night of it."

The seconds seemed to tick by, as Bridgette the vamp girl just looked at Spike in confused incredibility, before recognition dawned and her expression turned star-struck. "Y-yes, your majesty, of course. Sorry!" She called after letting go of Jesse and running down the alley, not looking back.

"Damn it dude! That's the second girl you've made me lose tonight! What the hell is your problem?" Jesse asked, now fully ticked.

"You know lad, your right." Spike was at the boy's side before he had finished speaking. "I just can't leave you alone for a minute." With that, Spike punched the boy in the back of the head, prompting him to pass out.

Darla narrowed her eyes. She had assumed that he had made her dinner leave just to annoy her. But now…she wondered.

"What the hell are you playing at William?" Darla seethed.

"You know, Darla, that's a very good question. Too bad I'm not one for spilling all my secrets on the first data eh? But then, you never know, stick around. Oh, and do me a favour, will you; tell great great granddad that my mate and I are expecting quite the party from your side of the family. Wouldn't want her to feel less than welcomed, would we?"

There was something going on here. Darla could feel it. This situation was all wrong, William was supposed to fall to his knees and weep at the first mention of Dru. But this was different, he was different. Through all of her taunting, William hadn't lost his temper. In fact, he had almost given her orders. Not to mention that he had saved that humans life twice tonight. And then the way that that fledgling had reacted…no, something was definitely wrong here. She had to tell her master.

"No William, we definitely wouldn't want that. Well, it's been fun, but I really must be going. Can't leave the Master waiting." With that said, she turned on her heals and strode away from the Bronze.

"Well, looks like it's just you and me floppy." Spike said, lifting the boy in one hand, and tossing him over his shoulder in a fireman's carry.

"Hey luv." Spike's voice whispered into her ear, just minutes after she had watched him leave the club.

"Hi hunny. Everything ok?" Buffy asked before turning around. When she did turn to face him she stopped.

"Is, is that Jesse?" She asked. Her senses told her that he wasn't dead, and if he were injured badly, Spike wouldn't have been carrying him so roughly.

"Is that his name?" Spike asked, casually shrugging his shoulder and making Jesse's head bounce.

The rest of the family had gathered around them at this point, and Willow and Xander both nodded their heads at his question.

"Huh, stopped this one from becoming a midnight snack. Twice." Spike rolled his eyes again.

Buffy smiled sweetly, and stroked Spike's cheek. "You're such a good man."

The others could tell that, if it were possible, Spike would have blushed.

"Thanks luv." Spike smiled shyly. "What do you say we get out of here? Drop this one at home, and go set up the house?"

Buffy grinned. "Ya, let's go home."


End file.
